The Biggest Challenge Yet
by Team Mike
Summary: The students at Hope's Peak have made it out of that school and into the Future Foundation, and are working on capturing the Remnants of Despair. Kyoko's mission is to finish what she started - to capture Izuru Kamukura. But, this mission will be unlike any other she's experienced before, which leads her to question herself, her heart, her priorities, and her strategies. Finished.
1. The First Encounter

My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. I would hope you'd recognize it. I am the Ultimate Detective. I was a student at Hope's Peak Academy, where the world's best students are hailed as the Hope of humanity. Well, they _were_ , until the Tragedy happened. Despair was lying within the school's walls, and it was at this point that they finally realized it. There was only one suspect at the time: Izuru Kamukura, a student who was genetically engineered to be the so-called 'Ultimate Hope'. If the word got out that the school's experiment was suspected, it would ruin their image. But they still needed to find out the truth behind the incident. So, they hired me to investigate him. However, before I could catch him, Junko Enoshima brainwashed me and the other remaining Ultimate students, to participate in her Killing School Life. Thankfully, I survived, along with five others, and joined an organization bent on eliminating Despair. My first task was to finish what I started. To capture Izuru Kamukura. That mission was rather different than anything I've ever experienced.

I bet you're wondering why I'm telling you this. Well, there was a point in my life when I'd normally keep quiet about these things. Some of the time, these investigation summaries are classified, and the rest of the time, the case isn't important enough to speak of. But this story isn't only about the investigation, or Izuru Kamukura.

It's about me.

I believe that's it for my introduction. Let us begin…

* * *

Day 1

The sun was rising when I left the Future Foundation with my first mission. I was tired, as coffee never appealed to me. And now wasn't the time to rest. Detectives have to keep on their toes, and that means getting an early start. But… with almost no information to go off… where do I start? I walked over to the nearest bench and sat down, crossing my legs. I squinted my eyes, as the sun invaded my vision. It felt so warm, and my eyes felt so heavy; I was tempted to close them and just fall asleep right there. Yet, I shook myself awake. This was one mission that I would surely not fail. I was a fool and didn't catch Izuru in time before all this. A wave of anger washed over me at the thought, and my fists clenched up. Instantly, I released them and stood up. I couldn't let my anger get the best of me. I couldn't let anything, or _anyone_ , get the best of me. I needed to prove to myself that I truly was the Ultimate Detective, by capturing Izuru Kamukura this time. Not many people get second chances, and I was very lucky to get the opportunity I had now. I would not disappoint them. I held my chin and pondered for a bit about where to start my investigation. After a couple seconds, I decided that checking out the Hope's Peak area again was the optimal strategy. After all, it was the only lead I had.

So, I stood up and started walking swiftly to the grounds of Hope's Peak Academy. There weren't any buses that dared stop anywhere near that school. Besides, it wasn't that far of a walk anyways. Walking gives me time to observe my surroundings. And to think. Which are both necessary for detectives. As I walked, I thought about Izuru Kamukura. What he could be planning. Where he could be hiding. How many followers he had.

My thoughts didn't get very far as I approached the gates to Hope's Peak. I felt the wind blow through my long, purple hair. I never bothered to cut it; it wasn't really ever in the way. And there surely wasn't time to cut it now...

To think… Which part of Hope's Peak Academy haven't I seen recently? Definitely not the main building; I've spent enough time in _there_ as it is. My eyes floated down the pathway until I saw a fountain. This area looked vaguely familiar… There. A shed, right past the fountain. I'd investigate there first.

The dirt from the pathway scraped across my feet as I walked towards the fountain. The rising sun made the water shine, enough that I had to look away. However, the sound of running water was soothing. At least _something_ wasn't explicitly ominous around here…

The shed looked like a typical shed; run-down, dusty, and dark. It wasn't too big, either. Slowly, I opened the door, which wasn't locked. As it opened, it creaked and dust clouds formed. I quickly batted the dust away with my arm. A small part of the shed was lit up by the light of the sun. Carefully, I walked in, getting out my flashlight to scan the darker parts of the room. The room was probably not dark enough to hide any moving figures, but you could never be too sure. I meticulously shined my light over the entire room, and the tension lifted when I pulled back the shades covering the nearest window. This illuminated the room, revealing it to be the dusty, unkempt shed that I expected. Well, secretly, I was hoping for more, but one can't be too disappointed in just a regular shed. I searched the room, though all the dirt and dust forced me to cough frequently. I opened every drawer, checked every floorboard, moved every piece of equipment. And I came to the conclusion that this, indeed, was exactly what it looked like. Just a regular shed. No secret passages or secret information. Sighing at the thought of wasted time, I started to walk out of the shed. Every extra second I gave Izuru Kamukura was another second he could use to hide himself. I started walking out of shed and into the light, but after a couple steps, I paused. Something didn't feel right… I could sense… something…

"We meet again, Kyoko."

The voice came from behind me. Not exactly from the shed - I thoroughly checked in there. As I turned around quickly, I saw a figure leaning on the side of the shed, and I tensed up. He had a slender, tall body, dressed in mostly black. My expression changed to surprise as I saw his face. That face… those deep, red eyes… that long, dark hair… that - I shook my head for a second, I was losing focus. My thoughts flashed back to the picture I saw just this morning.

What was important was that the man standing before me was indeed, Izuru Kamukura.

"Izuru Kamukura…" I said. It wasn't very witty or intelligent; I couldn't really think of anything else to say. Besides, I had to keep on my toes so as to not let him get away. I wouldn't lose him this time.

"It's been a long time." His tone was creepy and flat, yet inviting.

"Yes, it has." I said, inching slightly closer to him.

And we stood there. Looking at each other. In the silence that was the remains of Hope's Peak. Not even wind dared ruin this moment.

"That's it?"

"Hm?" I didn't quite understand what he was getting at.

"No more conversation? I expected more from such a… courteous type."

That voice… However monotone it was, it was certainly intriguing… But I wasn't getting fooled. I moved closer still, not saying a word. My right hand slid slowly across my body, reaching for the handcuffs I always had ready.

"So you're here for strictly business, then. How boring."

I almost jumped as Izuru Kamukura stood up from against the wall, and stretched his arms out towards me. His hands calmly formed fists, and just like that, he was in the perfect position to be handcuffed.

Oh, he must have seen them. I needn't be slow about it, then. I raised the handcuffs to arm level. But I stopped to think… Could it be this easy? Would he just let himself be captured by a Future Foundation Agent? Was he testing me?

I looked at his face again. Sometimes, someone's intentions could be revealed through their facial expressions. Celeste Ludenberg knew a lot about that, being a gambler and all. And I guess I did, too. I had to learn it on my own, as being a detective required deciphering people's motives and secrets. Yes, that's one lesson I learned too well...

Izuru Kamukura's face was mostly expressionless, save his large unwavering eyes staring at me. How could I describe them? Scheming? Condescending? No, it wasn't _that_ bad… Maybe it was… Impatient? Or curious? Or maybe-

Ugh, not this again... I refocused my eyes. I was on an important mission! There was _one_ thing I needed to do, and it was right in my grasp.

Quickly, I swatted the handcuffs down at Izuru's wrists.

Yet, with even quicker reflexes, Izuru yanked his hands away and started running towards the entrance of Hope's Peak.

I cursed at myself quietly for my missed opportunity, and I started chasing after him. This never happened to me before on a mission. I didn't know what came over me.

The sun was high in the sky as I chased my target. Luckily, I was catching up to him as he got to the fountain. All I had to do was tackle him, put on the handcuff-

SPLASH

I threw my arms up in defense as water from the fountain was thrust towards me.

Did he just splash me? Really? He ran past the fountain, just so he could distract me by spraying me with water… Izuru seemed much… classier than this.

But I guess it did its job, as I was now a couple steps behind Izuru. I kept at my original pace, knowing the sun would eventually dry out the water. I watched as Izuru looked back while running, his stone face finally showing some expression - a slight grin.

Izuru was running away just as fast as I could follow him. He ran all across town; across the streets, around shops, through the back alleys… I kept up as best I could. But, I was out of breath within ten minutes. My lungs longed for fresh air as I took a break for a couple seconds. I quickly picked up the pace and started running again after I reminded myself who I was chasing. It seemed the break didn't matter; as I could still see Izuru. Maybe he was tired, too. Or maybe-

My eyes widened as I thought of it. Maybe he was intentionally letting me catch up to lead me somewhere. He wouldn't do that, would he?

It didn't actually matter. Whichever was the case, it was beneficial to my mission, so I didn't question it. I ran on, following Izuru Kamukura for another five minutes.

Until we both reached a large clearing.

The town square. At around noon, as I could tell by the position of the sun, it was always bustling with activity. Outdoor tables covered with umbrellas were all filled with people talking. Stores overflowed with customers as new shoppers walked in at the same rate that older ones moved out. And in the center of it all was a cobblestone square crowded with people trying to push past others to get their errands completed.

Well, that makes one _more_ person who came to this square for an errand… Izuru Kamukura was trying to lose me by obscuring himself in the crowd, but I wouldn't let that happen. He was making his way towards the center of the square; the most crowded area. I pushed past a group of young men walking towards some burger store, a family who was standing exactly in my way, and a slow-moving couple. Then, I looked up.

Good. I could still see him. I ran as fast as I could towards Izuru's figure, bumping into even more people. Raising my head above the crowd, I strained my eyes to look where he went next.

Wait… where'd he go? He was just here, and now he's-

There! Walking towards that grocery store! Monomart!

Moving through these people was like trying to walk through ooze. It was annoying. Especially to think that other people were jeopardizing my mission. I moved closer, ignoring whoever I collided with. I kept my eyes on Izuru's head. That long, black hair was hard to miss.

People were noticing me now, considering how I seemed to be a hurry. Luckily, the people in front of me started moving out of my way, so I could gain some ground. I saw Izuru as he was walking into the store. Come on… just a little further… until I'll have cornered him…

I burst into Monomart. This was the biggest grocery store in town. All over, images of Monokuma invaded my vision, from cardboard cutouts to paintings to large sculptures. Monokuma merchandise was not scarce, either: black and white cookies bore the bear's face, as well as other sweets such as donuts and animal crackers. The store was packed with customers trying to get the insane deals that Monomart hosted frequently. Every day, random items would go on sale for absurdly low prices. And the video cameras in the store watched as the customers fought viciously over these items. It was almost like the Killing School Life, but on a larger scale with a lesser effect. Yes, this looked like a typical day at Monomart. But one thing seemed out of place…

Izuru Kamukura was nowhere to be found. I shifted my head around vigorously, squinting my eyes to catch a glimpse of that hair of his. But for some reason, I couldn't see him. Where did he go?

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Hey, thanks for reading the first chapter of my fanfiction! I hope you liked it!**

 **And if you didn't, then I'd love to hear from you to see what I could still improve on. I just updated this piece and I spent some time improving the dialog.**

 **So, leave a review, PM me, favorite it, whatever. It's your choice. But I do thank you for your time in reading till the end, because I know I did** _ **something**_ **right...**


	2. Discovery

Anger washed over me. I could feel my face turning slightly red at the thought of my sub-par work. I just stood there, at the entrance, almost in a trance, waiting for my senses to get back to me.

When they did, I realized now wasn't the time for this. Izuru could probably be anywhere he wanted right now, so looking strictly inside Monomart was not worth it. Maybe if I knew the area better, I could actually catch Izuru next time… There might also be some secret passage or important building in this area that I don't know about…

I made up my mind. I was going to head over to the Future Foundation's library and get some more information about Despair and what happened before Junko erased our memories…

The thought of Junko made me even angrier, but I told myself to hold in the feeling. I've learned to do this naturally. After all, detectives needed to be calm in tense situations. Otherwise, your enemies could see right through you, and your plan.

After ensuring Izuru was indeed not inside that store, I coolly walked out of Monomart, through the scores of people shoving each other around, and back to the Future Foundation, where I started this trek in the morning. All the walking and running really woke me up, but now I was tired in a different way. What a perfect time to sit down and read…

Once I was there, I got pulled into some meetings and such. Unfortunately, I didn't have time for that, but the Foundation insisted. Perhaps the most important thing that I learned from this was not during the meetings themselves. Makoto told me that he had a plan to try to convert the Remnants back to the side of Hope. It wasn't very fleshed out yet, but he wanted all the Remnants captured before he would start, so that he didn't leave anyone behind. I honestly didn't think that far in advance, as what the Foundation did with the Remnants was not my responsibility or my decision. It wasn't even Makoto's decision; I wonder what the Foundation leaders will think.

Anyways, speaking of Remnants, I was informed that all of the Remnants have been captured except for Izuru Kamukura. So Makoto was waiting on me. Like there wasn't enough pressure as it was…

Calm down. Take a deep breath, it'll be fine… Izuru Kamukura may have caused The Tragedy, but I was the Ultimate Detective. He couldn't _possibly_ throw any tricks at me that I haven't seen before.

The library was empty, save for Byakuya Togami. He was silently sitting in a chair, reading a book. On the table next to him sat a stack of at least eight books; he'd probably read those later. He was perfectly fine reading by himself, and I was perfectly fine keeping it that way. I perused the hundreds of books in the library, looking for anything relevant to Monomart, the rise of Despair, the Remnants…

I couldn't find much, only a book about the structure of the town, which I quickly memorized. It seemed like all the books that were of any importance to me were missing…

Wait…

I walked over to Byakuya Togami's stack of books. He glared at me as I did so. And, of course, he had all the relevant books that I was looking for. It looked like I was going to have to bother him after all… I examined the stack, and chose what I thought was the one that would give me the most answers.

"Byakuya, could I borrow this book? 'Despair's effect on the human lifestyle'?"

"No. I plan on reading it."

"This book is third from the bottom of the stack. It'd take you a day to get to it. Which is more than enough time."

"How dare you insult the reading ability of Byakuya Togami."

"I'll even read it in the library, and give it back to you when you ask for it."

"Always making my life more difficult…"

"Byakuya, please. It will help me capture Izuru Kamukura. You swore on the name of your family that you would destroy Despair, right?"

Byakuya gave me a cold stare. After a couple seconds, he growled and removed the chosen book from his stack. He held it out in front of me.

"Please don't bother me again."

Whew… Changing Byakuya's mind is like trying to run up a down escalator…

I immediately snatched the book and walked to the furthest chair away from Byakuya in the library. He's not the only one who didn't want company; I couldn't take any more of his attitude. Well, to be honest, I couldn't take any more of Byakuya's attitude ten minutes after I met him.

I opened the book and started reading. Sighing at a chance at relaxation, I attempted to lose myself in the history of Despair.

'After the Tragedy, millions followed Ultimate Model Junko Enoshima on the pathway of Despair, engaging in activities of questionable moral and societal worth. For example, violence became much more prominent and accepted over a single can of food at the local grocery store...'

They're talking about Monomart… Where I lost Izuru Kamukura…

'In such a dog-eat-dog world, the followers of Despair agree that you should not care about the wellbeing of anyone else, except Junko Enoshima, of course. In fact, you should explicitly try to impose Despair on as many others as possible…'

My thoughts were wandering again. For some odd reason, I couldn't stop thinking of Izuru Kamukura. I couldn't focus on the book. There's something about him… that I just, don't understand. Or maybe it's something about me…

Either way, my concentration was broken here. Maybe if I take a walk, it'll get my mind off things…

Swiftly, I got up out of my seat and started leaving the library. Byakuya Togami grunted, cringing that I would take one of his precious books out of the library. But, to be honest, what he thought didn't matter to me anymore. I was on a mission.

I walked to an area near the square, next to a relatively quiet shop. I sat down at one of their outdoor tables and continued reading my book.

'Due to the onset of Despair, shopkeepers who did not support Junko Enoshima found it increasingly more difficult to keep their businesses running. Many such establishments went under, and were quickly knocked down and rebuilt, by Junko Enoshima and the higher-ups in Despair, as newer, more profitable Despair shops.'

'Junko Enoshima was revered as a goddess among the Despair followers. Her image was everywhere, and being like Junko Enoshima was like fulfilling your destiny. Thus, Junko Enoshima Boutiques and Hair Salons started to prosper by selling that fact that you, too, could look like the goddess herself, Junko Enoshima…'

"They've got one of those in the square, if you're interested…"

I was surprised that someone would speak to me while I was reading. But after a second, a glazed look appeared across my face. There was only one person, reasonably, who this could be.

I moved my book to the side, and just as I expected, he sat there, directly across from me.

Izuru Kamukura.

This time, he was wearing a Monokuma hoodie: white on one side, and black on the other. The hood was up, so his long, silky black hair was tucked inside the hoodie. The hood obscured half of his face in the shadows. The face that I couldn't get out of my mind earlier. He was slouching in his seat, staring at me with the same expression as before.

Thankfully, I still had my handcuffs at my side. But it was interesting, though… Why would he throw himself into danger, knowing that I was explicitly trying to catch him? Did he not take this seriously?

I closed my book and tossed it in the light backpack I was wearing.

"It seems you can't stay away from me."

"Why would I want to?"

I grew serious. "You saw what I was going to do, Izuru. You're only endangering yourself by doing this."

"Endangering myself?"

Izuru chuckled a bit. For some reason, the laugh paired well with the slight grin that reappeared on his face. So… intriguing…

"Everything else is boring."

"I'm sure sitting in a jail cell is worse."

"Kyoko... That's only if I get caught."

As Izuru was finishing his sentence, he pushed himself up in his seat and rested his folded arms on the table. He was now staring directly at me. Those eyes…

No. This won't happen. Not this time. Calmly, I reached for the handcuffs, keeping eye contact to make sure Izuru wouldn't notice, and then when I was in position…

SLAM

I looked down.

Izuru's hands were not there. He chuckled and instantly started running away.

Almost growling, I got up and started following him. That's _two_ chances I had today…

After a couple seconds, I knew where Izuru was going. The map of the town in the book I read earlier helped me with that. I'd surely have the advantage in _this_ race… Especially if he was heading towards the square, which it looked like he was.

We were only a couple blocks away from the square, when Izuru turned down a side street. I followed him. It was one of those alleyways near an apartment building that had a large, green trash bin sitting on the side. Izuru started turning down corner after corner, and I was getting further and further away. The book I read had all the important places and streets marked clearly, but these back alleys were less documented. Even so, I should have been fine, if Izuru didn't turn so much that I lost my bearings of where I was…

This was getting tiring, but I _had_ to catch him. Keeping my eye on him, I saw his right arm motion over his left shoulder for a second. He seemed to throw something…

SLAP

A white piece of paper flew threw the sky and hit me straight in the face, obscuring my view. Of course, it didn't help that I was running directly at it, either. I clawed at my face, and after a second, I tore the paper off.

But Izuru Kamukura was gone yet again. Hurriedly, I ran over to the next intersection, and looked down every other alley.

Not a soul to be found.

I growled again. Never in my life as a detective have I let my suspect get away, let alone twice. In the same day. I was so mad that I couldn't possibly hold it in. I crumpled up the piece of paper that Izuru threw at me and threw it on the ground with a audible 'argh'.

Wait… Did that piece of paper have _writing_ on it?

I bent down and picked up the paper. I tried to unfold it the best I could. And indeed, I was right. The paper had a message from Izuru Kamukura, written in script.

It seems you can't stay away from me, either.

I look forward to having more fun with you.

-Izuru

The note didn't make me feel any better. So, Izuru just revealed himself to me for fun? Does he think this is a game? This isn't a game. I've been a detective all my life, and I've always liked it. I couldn't think of anything I liked doing more. But I've never once treated it like a game. It's serious business, and people could get hurt.

Hm... If it was _really_ serious business, and I liked it so much, then why was I losing concentration earlier?

Oh, no. It's not - there's no _way_ …

I felt like I was in a trance for the rest of the day, which didn't involve much important business. Mainly because any important business I involved myself with would be pointless since my thoughts were helplessly clouded trying to explain my inner workings. So, I decided to just relax and let my mind wander. My anger at myself eventually washed away into some mix of longing and obliviousness. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but smirk.

In all my years as a detective, it seems I still haven't seen everything…


	3. Investigation

Day 2

The pitter-patter of rain on my windowsill brought me back from the unconsciousness of sleep. After getting up, I took a look out my window to see how bad it was. The glass was sprinkled with rain droplets, enough that I couldn't really see what the weather was like. From this, I assumed it was raining just enough to be annoying.

I sighed. Everything has been happening so fast ever since I left Hope's Peak, that I didn't have many of the household necessities, an umbrella being one of them. I'd have to walk in the rain all the way to a convenience store, just to buy an umbrella. It seemed silly, but considering the way the Foundation treated their new recruits, it was understandable. The Foundation gave me this property on account of me not having anywhere else to go. It was barely even furnished when I first entered, and I didn't have the time to furnish it myself. Either way, I didn't need to; I don't spend much time in my house anyways. It's not like I'll ever have anyone over, either...

Ugh. My mind instantly shifted to Izuru Kamukura again. Why did that happen?...

My face turned red at the thought, but I managed to regain my composure. I had an investigation to do. Izuru Kamukura successfully outran me because he got a head start. He was ready for whatever I was going to do. Thus, if I wanted to detain him, I'd have to catch him off guard. And the only place I can do that is in his hideout. It was quite unfortunate that I had to scour the city for secret passages in the rain, but it was the only way. Nothing got in the way of a detective and her work.

Well, almost nothing.

I opened my door and the sound of the rain got louder. My eyes widened as I looked down. To my surprise, there was an umbrella sitting on the walkway in front of the entrance. It was a Monokuma umbrella; almost everyone had one of these. But the most interesting part was that it was open, laying on its side, shielding a note from the rain. Carefully, I leaned down and grabbed both the note and the umbrella. I methodically raised them both at the same rate so the note didn't get wet. Once it was at shoulder level, I started reading.

I've got a feeling you need one of these.

This Shield of Despair will protect you.

I look forward to seeing your progress.

-Izuru

Of course. I knew it was from him ever since I saw Monokuma's face. It's not every day you have a target who explicitly _wants_ you to investigate them...

I took a look at the area outside my house to see what was happening. This part of the neighborhood wasn't that busy, not nearly as busy as the square. I saw a few people walking in the rain, all with matching Monokuma umbrellas. A couple cars were driving past, not slowing down at all when they encountered a puddle. But then my eyes stopped. There was a single Monokuma umbrella in the distance that wasn't moving like all the rest. As I squinted, I could just barely see.

Was that?

The figure turned around and walked away after I noticed. Judging from the large amount of black hair covering the figure's back, my initial assumption was correct.

Typical Izuru. I started to go after him, but I stopped myself. There was no point in chasing him, especially in this rain. He'd just get away like every other time. And as I mentioned before, I'd have to find out where his hideout was to have the best chance of catching him. So, without any further interruptions, I started on my way to the square, where Izuru first disappeared.

The square wasn't much different today. There were less people there, but the Monokuma umbrellas that everyone had covered the extra space so it didn't make a difference. I imagined what it'd be like to get a bird's eye view of the square. So many Monokuma faces… I shivered at the thought. Entering the square looked like way more trouble than it was worth, but it had to be done, because my first order of business was finding out more about Monomart.

The delightful sound of umbrella-scraping-against-umbrella filled my ears as I shoved through the masses to the entrances of Monomart. It looked the same as it did yesterday; except today, everyone had an umbrella in their spare hand. This essentially made fighting over groceries easier, but you could carry less... Hmpf, I really shouldn't be thinking about this. I need to find someone who works here…

There. That woman behind the deli counter.

I carefully walked over to her, dodging any umbrellas that came close to me. These people were fighting over groceries, after all. And I wasn't interfering with them. So there was no reason for them to go after me.

"Excuse me." I said, explicitly to the woman.

Startled, she turned around.

"What? You want somethin'? Well, you can go ahead and take it. I ain't stoppin ya."

"No, I have a question."

"Well, shoot. I ain't busy. I just stand here and call an ambulance whenever I see blood."

"Yesterday, did you see a man with long black hair?"

"Yeah, I saw a bunch of 'em."

"Was one of them wearing all black?"

"Probably. Ya gotta be a little more descriptive, kiddo."

"Well… He was tall… and thin… and he had a pale face… and deep, red eyes…"

I floated away for a bit, until the lady snapped her fingers at me. My face turned red at that...

"Hey, snap out of it! As a matter'a fact, I _do_ remember someone like that…"

I got excited. "Do you know where he went?"

"Nope. Listen, kiddo. When ya gotta watch out for injuries, you can't pay attention to everythin'"

Ugh, she got my hopes up for nothing…

"Well, is there anywhere he _could_ have gone? Like a secret passage?"

The woman looked at me scornfully, then answered, "There ain't no secret passages in Monomart, kiddo. There's only the front door, and the back exit. Nothin' else."

"I see. Thank you." I nodded and went on my way. He must have left through the back door, then.

Avoiding many more umbrellas, I pushed open the back door of Monomart. The rain didn't block out the sounds of combat until the door closed behind me.

I put up my umbrella and took a look around. On one side, there was an alleyway. And on the other, at the corner, there was a small coffee shop. It seemed to be less influenced by Monokuma than the other establishments around the area. Outside, there was a man sweeping the pavement under the shop's overhang. Maybe he knew something…

The concrete splashed under me as I walked to the man. As I got closer to the building, I noticed that there was music coming from inside. It was slow jazz; the perfect accompaniment to a rainy day. The saxophone was so inviting that I was tempted to go inside. But there wasn't time for that. The man turned to face me as I approached him.

"Excuse me, sir."

"Hm?"

"Yesterday, did you seen a man with long, black hair?" I controlled myself this time.

"Erm, what was he like?"

Ugh. Not this again. "He was probably running out that door, the back exit of Monomart. Did you see him?"

"Oh, that guy? Yeah, I see him pretty often. Always comes from the same exit. He waves to me every time, nice fella."

What? Who knew Izuru would do _that_ …

"Well, which way does he normally go?"

"Down that way, away from here. Turns left every time." His arm pointed the way.

"Thank you."

"No problem, miss."

I quickly walked in the direction he pointed me in, making sure to observe my surroundings. I got to the intersection, and turned left.

It was just another alley. At least, that's what it looked like from my vantage point. Time to take a closer look…

I attempted to avoid as many puddles as I could, however, I was forced step in one or two. It was a small price to pay for a thorough investigation. I felt along the walls for secret switches, bricks, doors, anything. There was nothing. I moved all the trash bags; there was nothing under them either. I was losing hope by the time I reached the end of the alleyway; there sat a single, large, green trash bin. It was conveniently open, so I took a look inside.

Absolutely nothing. Well, besides pooled up water from the rain.

Wait… Why would they leave the bin open when it was raining outside?

I unleashed a swift kick to the side of the trash bin. It was just enough to shift the lid a bit before it fell over with a thud.

Behind the trash bin, there was a small indent in the wall. But it was just big enough to be a door.

I wedged myself between the trash bin and the wall. At least the rain would wash out the smell of trash…

There was some sort of small doorknob on the door. I grabbed it and pushed it aside. Luckily, and to my surprise, the door moved with ease.

I couldn't see what was inside. The bin was blocking whatever light the clouds in the sky didn't block. So, I turned on my flashlight again.

Shining it against the walls of the room, I came to the unfortunate conclusion.

This room was completely empty. I checked the floor, the walls, the ceiling. It was just an empty, square room.

Where could he have gone…

I double checked and triple checked everything. Still nothing. Eventually, I got tired of searching, and made my way out. I needed to clear my mind. Maybe I'd get a chance to stop in that coffee shop after all…

As I walked over, the man was still standing outside, sweeping the ground.

"Excuse me, again. Are you sure you saw him go that way? And no other way?"

"Every time he took that exit, he always turned left. Didn't see him go anywhere else."

"I see…"

Concluding that this man wasn't going to give me any more valuable information, I entered the coffee shop and walked to the back of the line. I got lost in the music, and by the time it was my turn to order, I haven't even thought about what I wanted to order. Between the rain, the jazz music, the letdown in the alley, and the fact that _he_ entered my thoughts yet again (don't ask me why, I didn't know either), I didn't feel like doing anything. I just felt… tired for some reason. Tired, and wistful.

I ordered a small coffee and a croissant. Maybe the coffee would help, for once.

There's a first time for everything, as this investigation has surely proven to me.

Taking my order back to my seat, I stared out at the rain as I ate my croissant and drank the coffee. The jazz permeated my ears and engulfed me. Much to my disappointment, the coffee only slightly improved my condition. I was alert and energized, yes. But there was nothing to use that energy _on_. That room was completely empty, and that was my only lead.

Maybe I'm losing it. Maybe I need a break…

Argh, but I don't have _time_ for a break! There's never enough time…

But, for now, there's nothing to do. Odds are, if I'm correct, Izuru will show up again. Eventually. And then I'll get my lead. He's borderline obsessed with me…

To be honest, I was starting to feel that the same could be said the other way around…


	4. Understanding

Why did I always get so distracted when I was around Izuru? This has _never_ happened to me before. Not in my life, not on the countless missions I went on before Hope's Peak. I had tried to explain my behavior with nervousness, but there are some obvious flaws with that argument, especially due to my conversation in Monomart today. Originally, I dispelled the most apparent notion out of sheer disbelief, but at this point, it was becoming more and more like the only possibility.

I was falling in love with Izuru Kamukura. Or, at least, that's what I thought.

I never knew how love felt, so I couldn't be absolutely certain. But from what I've heard, and read, that seemed like the case. Of course, it would happen on my most important mission, too...

I clenched my fists again. Izuru's a criminal! He killed all those people during the Tragedy, right? He deserves to be captured and brought to justice. I needed to set aside everything else and focus on my mission!

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't completely motivate myself to continue. I didn't even know what I wanted anymore... I wasn't even sure _what_ about Izuru was different from everyone else I've been investigating, to get me to feel this way...

I sat there staring off into the rain unattentive for a couple minutes, then I decided to get up and leave. I'd just walk around for a bit. Hopefully, something would happen. Because otherwise, I didn't know what I'd do. So, I walked outside under the overhang and opened my umbrella. I turned over to the man with the broom and nodded. He tipped his cap at me, and then I was on my way, back into the continuous wetness and mist that was today.

I decided that I'd take the scenic route back to observe a new area of the city. It looked very similar to everything else, to be honest. Nothing in this city was really different. It seemed the same dull life swallowed everyone who lived here.

Except for us. And them. We're trying to make an impact on this world, to make everything better. And they're trying to make it worse. This is why I _have_ to stop Izuru. No matter what. No matter how 'in love' I am with him; if I even am, anyways.

I continued walking and after a couple minutes, I got to the suburban area. Houses lined up next to each other, as far as the eye could see, in alternating colors of white and black. Luckily, I lived in a more, unique area down the road. I'd have to walk a bit further to actually see it, though.

As i walked, cars in every hue between black and white whizzed past. Their bright red lights that were turned on due to the weather stared deep into my soul as a certain bear's eye once did. One car in particular sped up as it was passing me. Being attentive, this time, I took two steps to the side, and the splash from the puddle in the street didn't even come close. I smirked a bit at that, foiling another plot. If only investigations were that easy…

Eventually I made it back to my house. It was a one-story, light pink colored house. It didn't look like much. Indeed, it wasn't much; it was just different enough for Izuru to notice. The Foundation owned this whole block. Makoto's light blue house was to the left of mine, and Byakuya's light yellow house was to the right. The Foundation had enough room for the rest of us, too, but Byakuya's consistent nagging forced them to move Toko to the other side of town. Aoi volunteered to move as well to keep her company… And honestly, Hiro never cared where he lived.

It was no use reminiscing in the rain. I should get inside. As I approached my door, something attached to it fluttered in the wind. Upon further inspection, it was a note taped to the door. A look of apathy appeared on my face, but as the wind grew stronger, I snatched the note off the door so it wouldn't blow away. To be honest, it was exactly what I was looking for.

If you're looking for a lead,

I'll be at the Striped Bear tonight.

At 6pm. I have a reservation for two.

Don't be late, Kyoko.

-Izuru

What? Was he... asking me out? That's the weirdest way I'd expect to be asked out on a date. Then again, Izuru wasn't a typical guy. I took out my phone to check the time…

It's already 5pm? I should really hurry. I rushed inside my house, closing my umbrella and dropping it inside the doorway. I ran into the bathroom, making sure the weather didn't dirty my clothes. As I was looking myself over, a thought crossed my mind.

Wait… Did I just call this a date? I'm not even sure if Izuru likes me, or if it's just-

 _Seriously_? I clapped my hands against my face.

I'm forgetting that he's my enemy. That I'm supposed to catch him.

I looked at myself in the mirror. My face got red at my previous thought, and seeing my face turn red in the mirror made it even redder. I absolutely hated the situation I was in. It didn't make _any_ sense...

Ugh… I should just go. My clothes were fine. With the rain, changing wasn't really worth it, either. I grabbed my umbrella and walked outside again. The Striped Bear was within walking distance, and I should be early.

I began wondering why Izuru was doing this... Was his life truly that boring, that he'd endanger himself? If that was the case, then I'd wonder why he was still with Despair if he deemed it boring...

The second option was that he specifically wanted to see _me_. Which almost felt like... he was enabling me...

Hm, I'd have to ask him tonight.

After walking for a bit, I suddenly remembered that I forgot something. How could I be so naive?

I hurriedly went to pick up what I forgot. Maybe I wouldn't be as early as I expected… Izuru would see it as too forward to come early, right?-

 _Stop thinking like that_! My mind seemed more and more like a complete mess these days...

The Striped Bear… I saw the restaurant only fifty feet away. The top half of Monokuma's face was sitting above the door, with his patented laughter face. The room was striped black and white; in stark contrast to the red, lush carpets I could see from the large, clear windows.

I looked at my watch.

5:55pm.

Hm. Not bad…

I walked into the restaurant. A tall, bald man in a typical waiter's outfit was standing behind a counter near the entrance.

"Ah, you must be Kyoko."

"Huh?" I was surprised that they knew who I was.

"Yes, you have a reservation. It's right-"

A chef appeared from the double doors that, I assumed, went to the kitchen. He motioned for the waiter to enter. The waiter nodded, and then turned.

"Oh, my apologies. I'll be right with you."

The man turned around and walked into the double doors.

I looked around at the restaurant. The chairs were lined with gold, and they seemed to have the same lush red material on the cushions. The tablecloths were half black and half white. Most of the tables were full, with people talking and eating. I forget the last time I was in a place like this…

As my eyes wandered more, they approached a man with dark hair almost touching the ground, sitting by himself, with an empty seat across from him. There were two candles on the table. I started walking over; surely that was my seat.

Izuru was wearing a nicer black suit than usual. He had a clean white shirt on, and over it was a tie with a continuous array of Monokumas in varying positions. That night-black hair of his was combed nicely. And his pale face stood out, as it always did. I almost swooned, but I controlled myself.

I was getting increasingly nervous as I approached the chair. Why was I getting nervous?

Why was I even here, again? Was it to catch Izuru, or because I wanted to eat dinner with him?

Well, I should be wary either way... And I could learn valuable information about his hideout just by talking to him...

I looked at Izuru. He was looking back, a smirk slowly growing on his face. I could almost feel my face turning red, but hopefully that didn't actually happen.

Izuru started the conversation as soon as I took my seat, in front of the white side of the tablecloth. I'm sure the tablecloth was placed that way on purpose, for added effect.

"I see you've received my note."

"Yes. You were lucky I saw it in time."

"There was no 'luck'. I knew you left your house because you took the umbrella."

"What if I didn't get back until after 6?"

"Then I'd remove the note and try again tomorrow."

"What if I didn't leave my house tomorrow?"

"Then, you'd be explicitly avoiding me. And we both know that's completely uncharacteristic of you. You _are_ trying to catch me, after all."

Yes. Izuru was right, possibly in more ways than one...

"That is true."

As I looked into Izuru's eyes, awkwardness ensued. We sat there in silence for a couple seconds until the waiter from before brought out two steaming plates of steak. The steaks were a juicy reddish-brown, moist from being served immediately after they finished cooking. The waiter placed the two plates in front of us. I could now see a heaping pile of mashed potatoes smothered in gravy next to some hearty broccoli. My mouth watered at the sight. It was quite unfortunate that I wouldn't eat it.

"Excuse me, waiter. Could you take this away? I'm not in the mood for this meal."

"Ah, b-but Miss! Are you sure?"

"Yes. I am certain."

Just as the waiter was reaching for my plate, Izuru spoke up.

"Waiter, box up my plate for Kyoko. I'll take care of hers."

"O-oh, yes, sir."

The waiter grabbed Izuru's plate of steak and went back to the cooking area behind the double doors. Izuru moved my plate in front of him and started eating.

"Cautious as ever, I see. You would pass up such a meal?"

"Being a detective, I need to keep myself in perfect condition."

I pulled out a container of salad from my backpack and placed it in front of me, what I went out of my way to get before I came here. It was the only way that I could control what I ate. Not knowing Izuru's intentions, that food could have been poisoned. But it seemed like it wasn't, as he was literally eating the plate meant for me. I'm sure he did that on purpose, though... Maybe killing me wasn't the point… Maybe he really thinks that everything else is boring... So maybe...

"Your condition seems fine enough. You look good."

Did he just compliment me? I wasn't expecting that, so my answer wasn't optimal.

"Please. I look the same as I always do."

After a short pause, Izuru responded, "Your point?"

...Oh, I get what he's saying. That I always look good. Very funny, Izuru…

Well, I guess it was my turn, now...

"...Thank you. As do you."

Izuru stared into my eyes for a couple seconds, and then finally responded.

"Thanks."

Thaaaat, was probably the wrong thing to say… Either way, that's enough small talk. Combining what he just said with the fact that he didn't poison my food, there was something I needed to find out. Catching him could wait, for now. Besides, my handcuffs, and anything else I could do, could not reach Izuru from where I was...

"Izuru."

"Yes?" He looked up at me from his food.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I like eating steak." Izuru said as he took another bite of the steak. The more he ate, the more I wished I'd actually accepted my plate.

I ignored his joking response and continued. I _had_ to know...

"Why are you spending so much time with me, if you know I want to catch you?"

Izuru's face seemed to grow slightly more serious.

"Everything else is boring... So I decided to play a little game. I'd give you a head start, and we'd see which side wins. Hope, or Despair. It's nice to feel challenged again."

Something in me felt he wasn't telling the whole truth.

"I see… Is that all?"

Izuru took another bite of his steak, which was rather annoying considering it took him so long in between bites to speak. Compared to the salad I had, it put the burden of conversation more on me. Which was exactly what I didn't want…

He looked like he was about to say something, though. His face seemed to turn more serious, or was it… strained? He calmly swallowed whatever steak he just ate, and chuckled a bit. Instantly afterwards, the smirk on his face disappeared.

"You're a detective, right? You should figure that out yourself."

Izuru leaned forward and looked at me intently. I stared into his deep, red eyes. His face was expressionless; he did not display the same intriguing grin as before. Yet, his face was intriguing in a different way. The strain I noticed earlier became more evident. It seemed he was going through something difficult as well. But was it… the same thing? Was he feeling the same conflicting feeling that I was? My face must have displayed some look of understanding or relaxation, because Izuru nodded and spoke up again.


	5. Difficulty

"Yes. Now you understand... I couldn't focus on my plan for Despair... Because I needed to be with you. Because everything else is boring."

My sentiment exactly. There _was_ a reason that I struggled to catch him, even if it wasn't voluntary.

Hm… Why _was_ he telling me this, right now?

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"What time would be better? I could tell you've been feeling something similar. Right?"

Ah, I see. It's a ploy to get me to discuss my true feelings. But there's _no_ way I'm telling him now. I'm still confused as to what's happening. And besides, the backlash from the Foundation would be absurd, especially with this many people around to hear me, if I even remotely indicated any allegiance with Izuru Kamukura.

I struggled to come up with something to say for a bit. But thankfully, the waiter came back with the boxed up meal.

"Here you go, miss."

"Thank you."

I proceeded to put it in my backpack. Izuru was still looking at me, expecting an answer. I couldn't think of anything better to say, so I simply agreed.

"Yes."

"And why is that?"

There he goes again. Izuru gave me that classic grin, just like before. He was testing me; he knew what I was going to say, but he wanted me to say it. I couldn't tell how red my face was, to be honest. I experienced the same wave of nervousness as before, looking at him watch me. It was like his burning red eyes were peering straight through my purple ones and into my heart. I pondered for a bit, before deciding on the optimal thing to say.

"I… can't explain."

"I see… I can't trust you, then."

Huh? What did he say?

Izuru Kamukura got up from his seat and started walking away from the table.

Wait… Did I just blow my chance? Did I - Argh, I'm supposed to be _capturing_ him!

I'm getting _very_ tired of this…

I stood up and reached my hand out to stop him. I was going to say 'Wait!', but someone else said it first.

"Wait! Sir, you forgot to pay the bill. You told me to put it down in your name."

Izuru Kamukura stood still for a second, and then reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun. It was a small gun, but my detective instincts told me it could kill in one shot. He pointed it directly at the waiter's head. The waiter was beyond shocked, but he instantly threw his hands in the air and stopped moving. The other guests here tonight all gasped at this, and some of them hid under their tables. As much as guns and fighting were commonplace in today's world, they were rare at such a civil establishment as the Striped Bear.

"Please walk away, or I'll make sure you forget your head."

Did he always do this whenever he ate? It wasn't _right_ , by any means. But Izuru was capable of doing brutal things, as we've seen before. Maybe if I tried to stop him...

"Izuru, please-"

"Kyoko, leave now."

"But-"

"Just leave."

Not wanting to argue with someone with a gun, I promptly picked up my backpack and walked out of the Striped Bear. It's a shame we couldn't get to talk more… Wait.

As soon as I exited the double doors, I ducked and crawled around to the side of the building, the one without see-through windows. I'll just wait for Izuru and trail him home. I'll find where his hideout is, _and_ I'd get to tell him my feelings. Talk about killing two birds with one stone… Now all I had to do was-

"You act like I don't know you."

Huh?

"Kyoko, I know you're there. I told you to leave."

What? I looked around the corner of the building and saw Izuru's head sticking out of the door. How did he find out? Am I really _that_ transparent?

I got up and looked at him for a second.

"Fine."

I straightened myself and started walking home. It was nice that it stopped raining. But my mood still didn't lighten up. I was mad at myself that I didn't accomplish either of the goals I set out to do… although, from deciphering my inner feelings, one of them mattered to me more than the other. Which is not what I expected a couple days ago…

When I got back to my house, I got ready for bed. I didn't feel like doing anything else. As I laid there, thinking tonight over, I did something I haven't done in a really, really long time.

I cried. I cried for the difficult decision I had to make. I cried for my weaknesses. I cried for Izuru. I cried for the Foundation. I cried for Makoto and Byakuya and everyone else that had to deal with me. Tonight, I no longer saw myself as the Ultimate Detective.

I was just Kyoko Kirigiri, a girl with many, many problems.

Day 3

I woke up the next morning with the same attitude. I was unable to get out of bed because of it. I felt so… defeated. No matter how hard I tried, my body just wouldn't move. There was no point, really. I've messed up everything I've done these past couple days, and it'd just end the same way… I just wanted to lay here, to hide away from everything, to be ignored by the world.

I didn't know what to do, what to believe in, or how to feel. By not committing to either Izuru or the Foundation, I essentially committed to neither of them, which was the worst possible outcome. This feeling I had… of uselessness and pessimism… is that how Despair truly felt?

An hour passed. Two hours passed. And, still I didn't move. I've never felt this way before. I was just so done, with everything. I never contemplated giving up life as a detective until now. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was the only thing I was good at, even if I did mess up every so often. I slowly pulled myself out of bed. I was getting pretty hungry anyways.

I slowly waltzed outside my room, into my kitchen, and up to my food pantry. With a sigh, I creaked open the cabinet. When I saw what was in there, I let out an even bigger sigh.

It was basically empty. Except for some sugar, a mostly empty box of Monokum-O's, a brown-ish banana, and a box of oatmeal I haven't touched in ages.

I did _not_ want to leave my house today… So I'd have to eat something here. Great. I grumbled and unwillingly reached for the oatmeal - until I remembered something.

I still had that steak from yesterday. It was in that box the waiter gave to me. I turned around and tried to remember where I put my backpack… Wait, I put that in the fridge last night, right? Did I?

I walked two steps and opened the fridge. It was almost as empty as the pantry… I'd have to go to a grocery store soon… And not one like Mono Mart, either. A reputable one… But that's besides the point. Luckily, the box from the Striped Bear was in there. So, I tossed the contents into the microwave, chose a random time (it didn't matter, really), and watched the food rotate steadily. This wasn't very entertaining, but I didn't care. Seeing something constantly move around in a circle and not get anywhere reminded me of something else… Rather, someone else...

Y'know… even though Izuru didn't have my meal poisoned before, the waiter could have poisoned it when he boxed it up…

That didn't matter, either. If it's poison, he can kill me. I wouldn't be doing anything else, anyways…

The microwave beeped, and I opened it up. The food felt pretty cold. Grumbling, I closed the microwave again, doubled the time I originally added to the microwave, and started it again. After a couple seconds of waiting, I surprisingly got bored, so I decided to take a quick shower, so I could be at least _somewhat_ civilized today.

I'm sure you wouldn't like me to describe my shower. And if you would, then you're very much someone I don't want to meet. Unless you're…

Ugh, even thinking of him didn't get my hopes up. By this point, I fully engulfed myself in my self-pity…

I went in my room, put on respectable clothes, and went back into the kitchen. The food in the microwave was long finished cooking, so I took it out. I grabbed some silverware from my drawer, sat down at my table, and started eating.

As I took the first bite of my steak, I realized it wasn't as warm as I'd expected. Or soft. Or chewy. Probably the result of it getting left to cool in the microwave for ten minutes…

I tried the mashed potatoes. Just as I thought. A bit cold.

Eh. I didn't feel like microwaving the plate again. It didn't matter. Nothing really mattered anymore. I ate the steak cold. Within five minutes, my jaw started to get sore from chewing. But I continued to eat.

I didn't know what to do with myself after I finished eating. I eventually decided to slouch on the couch and watch some television.

I turned on the TV manually, and couldn't find the remote... so I was stuck with whatever was on. It seemed like this show was about… robots. Ugh, robots weren't really my thing. Whatever…

There were some mechanical beasts terrorizing some industrialized, futuristic city. It looked nothing like the city I was living in, so peaceful and friendly before the monsters attacked. I continued to watch, and the city looked like it was on the brink of destruction. Then, for some reason, the beasts stopped attacking. The camera panned away from the city, to something that the beasts were rapidly running towards. It was…

Oh, seriously? It's just Monokuma. You'd _think_ that bear would get old by now…

BRRRRRRRRRRRING!

Huh? Was that?

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRING!

Yeah, that's my phone. Who would call me?

Wait, did Izuru somehow get my home phone number?

I walked over to the phone and checked the caller ID.

Oh, it was just the Future Foundation. I didn't want to talk to them. So I let the phone ring and go to voicemail. They didn't say anything, of course. Any intelligent detective knows that you don't leave records of important messages just sitting there for anyone to find...

They probably wanted to ask how my mission was going. And I didn't want to tell them. It's been such a disappointment. Even if I managed to tell them everything that was happening, it wouldn't matter. What help would they be? It's not like any of them have ever experienced what I'm going through…

Huh… That's an interesting thought… As a matter of fact, I think I _do_ know someone who might understand my situation.

With newfound motivation, I picked up the phone and eagerly called his number.

"Kyoko?"

"Hey, Makoto."

"Oh, hey, what's up?"

"I need to ask you something."

"Sure, what is it?"

Oh. Right. I didn't think of how to phrase the question. What was I asking him about, again? About his time with Sayaka in Hope's Peak. About loving someone who had the potential for such Despair.

"It's about…"

It's about Sayaka. But what would he think? If I started asking him questions about how he felt, he'd surely assume _something_ was up. I _did_ want his help, but telling him about my problems was, for some reason, not very appealing to me. It was probably because-

"About what?"

"About… your progress on the program."

Ugh, I felt like an idiot for that. But I wasn't comfortable asking about anything else, really.

"Oh, yeah, it's coming along great! We should be finished within a week. And then we'll be able to, hopefully, change the Remnants for good… Which reminds me, how's your investigation going?"

I lied. "Fine… Makoto, if you don't mind, I need to continue my work. I apologize for the brevity."

"Yeah, I should get back to work, too…"

"Good bye, then."

"Bye!"

I abruptly hung up the phone. Although I did regret that decision, it was what I was used to. I'd have to tell him everything, but suppressing my feelings was so natural to me that doing anything else seemed to be almost impossible. I had it drilled into me that any weakness in character was exploitable by your enemies. Showing _any_ signs that _anyone_ got through to you was almost like death.

These ways of a detective were in my blood. Always being calm in tense situations. Always doing what was right, no matter the cost. Always prioritizing others before themselves. It was a detective's sacrifice. And, now, it was my undoing. How fitting.

Spending last night and this morning thinking about it, I realized this was why I couldn't tell Izuru I loved him last night. Because it wasn't in me to do so. The other 'reasons' I came up with were logical, but they were also excuses. Excuses that kept me from experiencing the unknown.

Expressing my true feelings required me to move past so many of these, boundaries, that I've been building up since childhood. It's like I was an egg, the yolk of my feelings trapped inside. Except in that case, I wouldn't be just an egg. I'd be an egg with an inch thick shell. Or maybe I was like one of those bottles, the ones with ships in them that were impossible to get out…

Enough. I'd go crazy if I spent any more time inside by myself doing nothing. I needed to get my mind off this.

So I left my house. There was nowhere for me to go, really, so I wandered around. Maybe I'd go to that coffee shop again…


	6. Realization

As I approached the shop, I saw the same man, sweeping the same stoop. He didn't seem to be doing much work, as always. He tipped his hat to me again as I walked in.

The sound of jazz hit me again. It wasn't like a wall of sound; it was more like a cloud. Like the air in the shop was filled with light music. It made the mood in the building somewhat lively.

The place was a bit crowded, but I happened to get there after everyone had already sat down. I walked straight up to the counter. This time, there was no reason to get coffee. It didn't help before, and it wouldn't help now. I just got a bagel. I chose a seat in a corner of the room, and started to eat.

Most of the guests were sitting in pairs, as the tables only had two chairs each. I inadvertently watched as they made conversation with each other. It all seemed… so easy for them. Like they could talk about anything. Their very thoughts escaped them as easily as the carbon dioxide that left their lungs did.

As I saw a couple get intimate, I turned away. I could tell that my face flushed red. After a few seconds, I changed my mind. I'd never get anywhere unless I learned how to express myself. And the best way to learn that, was to learn by example.

So I pretended I was watching the band, but in reality, I was watching the couple. The more mushy stuff they said, the more I smiled. It felt good, until I realized that I wasn't them. That I was Kyoko Kirigiri, and my life was not that easy. Being an Ultimate meant that you not only had talent, but you had responsibility. And Ultimates were held to higher standards than others, obviously. Higher standards that I was not achieving...

Once I finished my bagel, I left the shop. At this point, I was still unsure of what to do next. So I continued to wander around, observing people along the way. What was so different between us? I couldn't really put my finger on it…

But my real question was, why? Why me? I needed somewhere to think. Somewhere quiet. And I wasn't going back to my room, either… Sitting in there was far from helpful...

So I spent an hour or two trekking out and around the city to find some grassy area that seemed somewhat peaceful. I decided on a relatively barren hill, and I sat down quietly. It was very plain, yes, but I could see the entire city from where I was sitting. But I couldn't stay here for too long, though. The sun was setting behind the city, so I only had about an hour.

The sun setting wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Hues of red, orange, and violet streaked the sky, and for once in my life, I wish I had a camera. Then again, I wasn't the Ultimate Photographer. I couldn't even perform as the Ultimate Detective...

As I stared into the sunset, I contemplated the events of the past couple days. I ended up back on the same question. Why? Why did I have to fall in love with Izuru? Why did he have to enable me? Why was it so difficult to make a decision? My life would be so much easier if this hadn't happened… Eventually, the tension built up so much that I couldn't hold it to myself anymore.

"Why?" I spoke aloud.

I let out a huge sigh. As a detective, I always looked for the 'why'. The motive behind a criminal's actions. There was always one, because if there wasn't, there would be no reason for them to break the law.

But this was different. There wasn't a reason for what happened here. There was no rational way to explain this, other than human nature.

"You used to sit here and think a lot back when we were in Hope's Peak... But, of course, you wouldn't remember that."

My eyes widened slightly, but I didn't turn my head. Of course he'd show up here. What was he here for this time?

"Sometimes you don't need a reason to do what you want. Wanting is the reason enough. Why do you think I followed Junko Enoshima all this time?"

Well, he had a point.

"Because you wanted to..."

As a matter of fact, I didn't know why he followed her. Why he decided that Despair was more appealing than Hope. Before I could ask him, Izuru responded quickly.

"Exactly. Whoever thinks rational explanations are necessary doesn't see the whole picture."

I turned to where the voice came from. Izuru Kamukura was sitting right next to me, staring straight at the sun like I was. He was wearing typical clothes, nothing special. But for some reason, he seemed to shine. His pale face had more color than it ever had. His dark hair gleamed in the sun, and his red eyes almost sparkled. In sharp contrast to me, who was a disheveled mess and didn't know what she was doing. Which reminds me… why _did_ he want me?

"Why _me_?"

"Because it was meant to be. We are polar opposites, Kyoko. Destroying and protecting, Despair and Hope, black and white. And you know what they say about opposites…"

"Opposites attract…" I said, completing the thought.

"I'm a paragon of Despair, and Hope is empty to me. And, the contrary applies to you. Yet we're more similar than I make us out to be. We may be on opposite sides, but in terms of character, it's like staring into a mirror... To meet someone who understands..."

"If that's… how you feel..." Well, he could probably tell I liked him. But, I wanted to see what he would say. He turned to face me, at this point.

"Kyoko, I know you've been feeling it, too. Even if you didn't tell me yesterday."

Well, there was no denying it now. Maybe I _should_ say it… Nothing else really mattered, anyways. Yet… the thought of saying something like that made me feel insanely nervous. My stomach and head both felt light.

I really wanted to say it, too. But… the words just wouldn't come out of my mouth. Was it the perceived consequences that were stopping me? Maybe it wasn't that… Maybe it was it just nerves? Or was it something else entirely?

"I… I…"

This wasn't that hard… but why was I hesitating? All I had to do was say it: 'I love you'. Three simple words. Yet, for some reason, they seemed unpronounceable… Well, to be honest, I haven't spoke them in a long, long time, so maybe I _did_ forget how they sounded...

So I just sat there, looking at his face, him looking at mine. His face was only a couple inches away from mine. Seeing Izuru's face this close for the first time made my heart ache, even more so than before. It lasted only a couple seconds until his face shot forward, and he kissed me.

I wasn't surprised at all. But, I was glad that he took the first step, because it seemed I was waiting my whole life for this moment. Waiting my whole life for something that I wasn't ready to go out and get on my own.

I closed my eyes, to focus my senses, in a way. It was also to suppress the feeling of being watched by the random passersby. I wouldn't let them bother me now; for once in my life, I was actually experiencing love.

His lips were warm. The kiss felt like it lasted forever, because I was savoring the moment. This moment that I might never get again. Just Izuru and I, sitting in the sunset, not having a care in the world. I barely felt the cold afternoon wind on my neck as it tossed my hair back and forth.

After a while, Izuru started moving his lips away from mine. I instinctively moved mine closer to maintain contact, but once I realized what was happening, I stopped. Surely I couldn't be _too_ forward…

He stared at me for a couple seconds after, grinning perhaps for a different reason this time. Then, he turned and laid on his back. Closing his eyes and putting his arms on his chest, he spoke.

"I knew it."

The sun was quickly setting, with only another couple minutes of daylight left. And Izuru just laid there, with his eyes closed, relaxing in the open… Wait!

It's the perfect opportunity! I turned to my side and felt the handcuffs that were there. I might never get a better chance. He was completely vulnerable…

I grabbed the handcuffs and slowly moved them towards him. He didn't even flinch…

But, something about this didn't seem… right…

My hands froze when they were about an inch away from his. But I was reluctant to finish the job.

Izuru finally showed me love, and repaying him with betrayal wouldn't feel right. Yes, he _had_ to be captured. But, I couldn't. I… I just... couldn't. I loved him too much.

I silently put the handcuffs away. After thinking for a bit, I decided to lay down in the sun as well, right next to Izuru. I closed my eyes and relaxed, pondering some things.

What was next for us? The future was shrouded in mist, as Izuru was very unpredictable, not to mention my current attachment to the Future Foundation. I'd have to make a choice, essentially, between the two. At this point, and based on my recent actions, that choice was obvious. But was that correct? He's a criminal and a murderer, and I'd turn against the Foundation to be with him? That didn't make much-

' _Whoever thinks rational explanations are necessary doesn't see the whole picture'_

I remembered what Izuru said just a couple minutes ago. He's right: there's one thing the Foundation doesn't see, or understand. The fact that I love Izuru Kamukura. But would I really just change my way of life? Hm… That kiss sure _was_ nice...

I laid there for about ten minutes, until the sun was obscured from vision and the colder temperature made me uncomfortable. Opening my eyes, I turned to my side to look at Izuru one last time before I left.

He wasn't there.

Of course. Showing up at the most unexpected times, and leaving at them, too… Oh, well. I was sure I'd see him again, so I wasn't too disappointed. I had to get home. And I had a decision to make, no matter how obvious it seemed.

Which reminded me, I needed to call someone back.

And so, tightening my coat, I started walking back to my house. Eventually, I made it back, thankful again to be in the warmth and light. I was pretty hungry; I haven't eaten since lunch. I took two steps into my kitchen when I remembered what I discovered this morning. I basically had no food.

Oh, well. I wasn't in the mood to leave my house. Looks like I'd have to do it…

I picked up the phone and called the number for the local pizza place.

"Pizzakuma. What do you want?"

"Small cheese pizza. Hold the Despair."

You had to say that. Otherwise, they'd intentionally mess up your order. Like not melting the cheese enough, or using undercooked meats. Hina learned _that_ the hard way...

"You sure? You'll be charged extra for that."

Even if they charged me an exorbitant amount, the fact of the matter was that I didn't care.

"Yes. I'm sure. My address is-"

"Whoa, whoa. We wiretapped this call, so we know your address. Have the money ready in a half hour."

Oh, yeah. They _can_ do that…

I waited for a bit, thinking about Izuru some more. If I did capture him, would I ever get another chance? At love, I mean. I was afraid a gaping hole would open up inside me the moment I realized that Izuru was gone. I might never be able to recover. I couldn't tell what would happen, honestly. As shown by this mission, I was completely horrible at predicting the future. Because love is unpredictable.

In about a half hour, the doorbell rang, interrupting my thoughts. I opened the door, and there stood a robot Monokuma.

Just like the one I saw in Hope's Peak.

I jumped a bit, but then I realized what it was here for.

It was holding my pizza. It extended its arm out to me, with a pizza box shaped like Monokuma's head.

"Heeeere you go!"

I cautiously took the pizza box from the robot, and went to close the door.

"Hey! What's the deal? That pizza's gonna be 15 bucks!"

Oh. Right. The money. 15 was a little much, especially for a pizza this size. But, as I've said, I didn't care.

I gave the robot the money and closed the door. I then brought the pizza box to my table, and opened it.

They must have dyed their sauce black, because the pizza was speckled with darker tomato sauce above white cheese. The box had two holes for sauces, which seemed to be ranch and barbeque.

How fitting. Like everything else in this world nowadays...

I took a bite of the pizza, and, after realizing it was safe to eat, started eating the rest. I continued to think about Izuru and what the future held. Yes, I did feel that what was between us was real, but…


	7. Reflection

Was I really considering _giving up_ on my mission? I'd essentially rescind my role as a detective, always working for the good of the people, due to my own selfishness. It just… it just didn't seem right.

I know, I know. Izuru told me that there's more to life than rational thinking. So that made me feel a little better… I guess…

But the main problem was that, if I just gave up, I'd be no better than him.

I'd be no better than my father, Jin Kirigiri.

He used to be a detective, as my whole family was. It was tradition. We used to go on missions together. I remember him teaching me everything I know… But then he gave all that up to be the headmaster for Hope's Peak Academy, for some reason or other. He very abruptly told me he was leaving, avoiding any and all questions I posed to him. I tried to follow him, but his car was too fast. And just like that, he was gone. I was young, and I didn't know what to do at that point. He'd been my entire life. And he just… he just _left_.

Come to think of it, that was actually the last time I cried. Well, before yesterday.

Eventually, I realized the only real thing _to_ do was to do what Makoto would say, to keep on moving forward. I just kept on doing what I knew how to do, because it was the _only_ thing I knew how to do. To be a detective.

And because of my father, I made my prominence known to the world, so I could enter into the prestigious Hope's Peak Academy. I finally got to see him again… But it was different this time. I _hated_ him for leaving me. I _despised_ him. It wasn't really in my nature to do it, but, to be fair, it wasn't in his nature to just leave me, helpless, stunned, alone…

He was the one who asked me to catch Izuru Kamukura the first time. I only took that case because he explicitly hired me, from a business standpoint, not because I wanted to help him. Perhaps I wanted to show him that I was better than him, to show him what a Kirigiri could do. A _real_ Kirigiri. However, he cut off my investigation and decided to seal the school so that Despair couldn't find its way in.

But Despair found its way in anyways. And now he's dead.

Honestly, there wasn't much he could have done to stop Despair from seeping through. Despair is very infective, as I've surely learned. After all, Despair already found its way into my heart, in the form of Izuru Kamukura.

This was why I felt so… so uneasy about just giving in. I didn't want to turn out like him. Like my father. I worked my _whole_ life so far towards the goal of not ending up like Jin Kirigiri, and to just… throw that away...

I felt really tired, for some reason, after eating. So I went to bed early that night. I needed to make a phone call tomorrow, anyways…

* * *

Day 4

I woke up the next day in a similar state. As I performed my morning activities, I thought about what to say to Makoto. I didn't think I was ready to tell him everything, but that wouldn't stop me from getting what I wanted.

I confidently dialed my friend's number, and waited impatiently for him to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Makoto."

"Oh, Kyoko. How are you?"

I lied again "Fine… "

"Good, me too. The Hope Restoration Program is gonna be finished within three days. Three days, Kyoko! Imagine what effect it'll have on-"

I interrupted him. I didn't have time for this. "Makoto… Sorry for interrupting, but there's something else I need to ask you about."

"Huh? What's that?"

"About Sayaka."

"Sayaka? Why?"

"I'll explain later. But, for now, please, answer my questions."

"Ok, what do you want to know?"

"Well… Back in Hope's Peak, when you first met Sayaka, how did you feel about her?"

"Oh, uhhh…"

Impatience flowed through me "Hm?"

"Well, when I first saw her, I thought she was the prettiest girl in middle school. And at Hope's Peak, too. But I knew she was out of my league, though… But then… we started talking, and once I realized that she actually _noticed_ me back in middle school… that's when it really hit.

I _loved_ her, Kyoko. I just… I just felt so much better when she was around. Her laugh always made me smile. She was always so… optimistic… and concerned… We both promised each other we'd make it out together…"

I felt like a fool. Why'd I force him to talk about this? "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced you to talk about this."

"No… It's better this way… I'll never get over it otherwise…"

Hm, he _does_ have a point... Maybe I _could_ talk to him about Izuru...

"So… what you're saying is… you loved Sayaka, and she loved you, as far as you could tell…"

"Yeah… She even asked me if I had a girlfriend, and if I had anyone in mind…"

Wow. That's… really forward. But my real question was… was it all an act? I know she tried to frame him, but… how much of that was circumstance?

"Do you think she was sincere about her feelings?"

"Huh?"

"Keep in mind she _did_ try to frame you so she could escape Hope's Peak. Do you think she truly loved you?"

"Absolutely."

Interesting… So, certain…

"How can you be so sure?"

"Well… I think there's a point where you can't make those feelings up. Where it would be so fake that it'd be revealing. I could sense that she felt the same way about me that I did about her, before she fell for Monokuma's taunts."

Oh, yeah… She _did_ seem to go somewhat mad…

But that was besides the point. Could Izuru really have made up his feelings for me? It's hard to believe that such a possibility exists, but it had to be considered. I very heavily felt otherwise, though…

"So only after Monokuma's taunts did she act suspicious…"

"Yeah… Seeing her bandmates dead in that video really must have filled her with, uhh-"

I finished his sentence with impatience. "Despair…"

Remembering the events at Hope's Peak made me hate Monokuma and Junko even more than I already did, if that was even possible…

"Makoto, one more question."

"Sure."

There was _one_ thing left to ask… It wasn't really too relevant to the situation currently, but I might as well get it out of the way.

"When you found her dead… How did you feel?"

"Uh, I felt horrible. You could probably tell from looking at me, though…"

"Not everyone fully expresses their feelings."

"Yeah, well… I felt so empty. Almost like there wasn't a reason to live anymore, now that she was gone…"

Was that _really_ how it felt? It was bad the other day, but this surely sounded worse. Would that happen to me, though, if I gave Izuru to the Foundation? But it happened to Makoto, and he's fine now. Right?

I continued to weigh the choices, as Makoto interrupted my thoughts.

"By the way, thanks for helping me back then. I don't know what I would have done without your help."

And thanks for helping me now. "You're welcome. Thank you for being cooperative. I understand it was really hard on you..."

"Yeah… But that's life. You just gotta keep moving forward. I'll be with Sayaka eventually, but there's work to be done before then."

Ah, typical Makoto…

"It's about Izuru."

I just blurted it out, despite my nervousness. He deserved to know, after what he told me…

"Huh? You like Izuru?"

"Taking from what you told me, it's a _lot_ more than 'like'…"

Makoto chuckled, " _Now_ it makes sense… I didn't think you'd tell me."

"I didn't think I would, either."

Makoto paused for a second, then responded. "I'm sure you didn't want this."

The initial wave of nervousness and uneasiness passed, so I unleashed more of my emotions. "No, I didn't. It's… It's taking me over… I don't know what to do…"

"Kyoko. Sometimes, things just happen. We can't let them conquer us. Just, do what you feel is best. Don't worry about anything else. And keep on moving forward, with Hope in the future."

Yeah… That's what I wanted. Some affirmation that someone else understood me. Some sort of… justification in what I was doing…

"Thanks."

"No problem, Kyoko... I should get back to work. Good luck with Izuru."

"Thanks."

I hung up the phone.

Wait… Did he just say 'Good luck with Izuru'?

Does he even want me to catch the guy?

But seriously, though… Sayaka used her love as a weapon against Makoto. How did I know Izuru wasn't going to do the same against me?

If I truly gave in, would he… would he kill me?

Well, to be honest, he had _way_ too many chances to kill me. Not to mention he literally could have shot me at the diner the other night if he really wanted to…

But still, you never know with someone like Izuru.

Well, I guess the secret at this point was to not truly give in. Maybe I would just decide on Izuru…

But honestly, as I was talking to Makoto, I realized I've been making a huge mistake.

I've been making a huge mistake in thinking that I needed to make a decision now.

Because if I chose Izuru, then I'd go find him and express my love for him.

And if I chose the Foundation, I'd still need to capture Izuru. Which would involve getting close enough to Izuru that he wouldn't expect me to catch him. Basically, he needed to treat me like a friend, and not an enemy. Which was basically the same as the first option.

So in retrospect, there wasn't a decision to be made at all. Just like Hina might say...

'When it is not necessary to make a decision, it is necessary not to make a decision.'

Except that quote wasn't from some famous athlete…Whatever...

But, back to the matter at hand, I needed to express my true feelings in order for Izuru to fully accept me, in either case.

It didn't sound as hard as it was. It sounded easy, after my conversation with Makoto. But… still… could I do it?

I got up and walked over to the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror. I stared into my deep purple eyes, attempting to intimidate myself into obeying what my mind was saying.

I was going to say it.

"I love you."

There. I did it. That was easy…

Wait… Maybe I was just saying that to myself…

I ran over to my backpack and grabbed the case file for Izuru Kamukura. I flipped open the envelope to the first page. Where Izuru Kamukura's picture was.

Hm… He seemed so… unemotional. His lips were straight across his face. That never happened when he was around me. And his eyes… The picture didn't do them nearly enough justice.

I concentrated on the picture, trying to bring it to life as best I could. And then…

"I…"

"I love you."

No… Why wasn't that difficult? Hm… Maybe I needed…

 _No_. there's no other way. The only real way I'd get practice is by talking to Izuru himself…

But then it wouldn't be practice.

Whatever.

I put on my shoes and walked out the door. The sky was clear; very much like the first day I found Izuru. The sun was hot on my back as I stood tall, ready to meet him. But where...

Because of the fact that Izuru just shows up, out of nowhere, without warning, there was no telling when he'd show up next. Honestly, I wasn't even sure if I should be explicitly looking for him, because whenever I did that, it didn't work. I can't even begin to rationalize that mind of his...

Hm… I guess I'd just put myself in the most public place so Izuru has the highest chance of seeing me…

Which was the square.

With newfound courage, I walked confidently towards the center of the city.


	8. Comprehension

The square was pretty crowded, as per usual, but I managed to find a seat at one of those lunch tables near a cafe.

After five minutes of observing the crowd, with Izuru Kamukura nowhere to be seen, I took out the book that I fortunately did not remove from my backpack, and flipped to a random page.

'Monokuma'

'Once Junko and her Despair took over, her mascot, Monokuma, instantly became the new craze. Contrasting with typical teddy bears, Monokuma's two colored design symbolized how people can look innocent on the outside, but be deceiving on the inside. The shops in this new age made sure to take advantage of this bear of Despair's popularity, featuring him on many of the goods that were sold there, or even naming their stores after him. Movies, TV shows, magazines, and games were created that featured Monokuma to increase sales.'

'Monokuma was also the mascot of the new wave of sports. Classic sports such as Basketball, Baseball, and Football were replaced with Junko's self-proclaimed 'Killing Sports', in which fifteen competitors would enter a unique arena, and the last one standing would win. These sports were televised and highly popular. The players were chosen at random, and it was considered an honor to participate in an event that would cause so much Despair.'

I looked up quickly, and when I couldn't see Izuru, I continued to read my book.

'What does the future hold?'

'Junko's Despair movement has fully engulfed this city, and much of the area around it. It seemed to be growing faster than anything that could slow it down. The popularity of Junko and Monokuma has even reached other countries across the world, which are starting to follow in her footsteps. There is rumor of an organization that is bent on stopping her movement, but there has been little to no action at this point to slow down, or even prevent, the wave of Despair immersing the world.'

I sat there and read a bit more, but then I grew impatient. Hm… Where _was_ he?

I looked at my watch. I was sitting here for about two hours.

Two whole hours, and not a sign of Izuru.

Hmpf, this was getting boring. Looks like I'd have to take things into my own hands. There _is_ one place that Izuru Kamukura is guaranteed to be, at least eventually.

And that's his hideout.

But where could it be… The only lead I had was that one empty room, near Monomart. My eyes shifted in the direction of that grocery store. Maybe I'd go check that out again…

No, I thoroughly searched there. And I trusted myself enough to ensure that I found everything there was.

So what now…

Maybe something Izuru said would give me a hint. Anything…

" _They've got one of those in the square, if you're interested…"_

Would there be a secret passage in the hair salon here? I now shifted to face that store. It was close to where I was, although I didn't really want to go in. Maybe there's something else…

" _You used to sit here and think a lot back when we were in Hope's Peak. But, of course, you wouldn't remember that."_

Was he somewhere near that hill, where he appeared out of nowhere? That might be a better spot to check, honestly. But it was _so_ far away… Hm…

" _Your condition seems fine enough. You look good."_

What? That has nothing to do with where Izuru's hideout could be…

" _I needed to be with you."_

Argh! This isn't what I'm looking for, I need rational information...

" _Exactly. Whoever thinks rational explanations are necessary doesn't see the whole picture."_

Come on! I need to remember any clues, any-

Wait. Just one second…

Maybe Izuru's clue is less obvious than I think… What did he say after that...

" _We are polar opposites, Kyoko. Destroying and protecting, despair and hope, black and white."_

Keep on going...

" _I'm a paragon of Despair, and Hope is empty to me."_

 _There!_ That's what I was looking for. It was right in front of me, all along…

Hope is empty to him… Just like that abandoned room I thought was his hideout…

So if that room represents Hope… Then Despair has to be…

Polar opposites…

I hurriedly took out the other book in my backpack, which was the one about the city's layout. I flipped to the page about the square. There, the layout of the city's most bustling area was drawn out, along with the surrounding pathways. I just had to find…

There. Behind Monomart. _There_ was the room I explored. And, since this square was symmetrical…

I placed my finger on the location of the empty room, and slid it across the page, through the center of the square, and across to the opposite location.

There. That spot. Exactly opposite from the empty room. Hopefully, I was right, and this was where his hideout was.

I memorized the location and closed the book. I dropped both of them in my backpack, and then I got up and started walking to the closest pathway out of the square. My seat was taken within five seconds.

I exited the square, and turned down the alleyways that would lead me towards my destination. These pathways seemed to be very neglected, as trash was piled up along the sides of the buildings. No one even walked near this area, as the disgusting dirt and grime on the ground dissuaded them from doing so. It's a good thing I didn't wear my nice shoes today…

Nevertheless, I trudged along. Now… if my calculations were correct… it should be right around this corner here…

I turned towards the dead-end alley I expected to house Izuru Kamukura's hideout. What was here was very different from what I saw before.

Standing between me and the dead end was a large, silvery metal fence, extending up about fifteen feet. There was barbed wire lining the top edge. In the middle was a door made of the same material. On it, was a big sign that said:

Enter at your own risk

It was never simply 'Do not enter' these days; people broke rules all the time in today's world. Essentially, you had to make them believe the perceived consequences outweighed the benefits.

And, it didn't seem like there was much benefit to entering that door. At least, to most people. Other than a small door lit up by a light right next to it on the side of the alleyway, the rest of the area looked like it was _not_ worth breaking in for. All the trash in there wasn't even worth _looking_ at.

Yet, this was one rule I _had_ to break. No matter the cost. And, assuming it _was_ Izuru behind that fence, the rules of Despair shouldn't even be followed in the first place, even though Izuru has been making me a bit flimsy in that regard...

I sighed, but secretly I was excited, because this only confirmed my initial hypothesis.

Izuru, I'm coming for you. And there's no stopping me.

I walked up to the door, and reached for the knob to turn it-

Wait. Stop. That just seems… too easy. Any detective knows to investigate and get as much information as possible before attempting anything.

My hand stopped an inch away from the doorknob, and then I took a couple steps back, examining the metal fence. The doorknob did not have a keyhole, so it surely wasn't a typical fence.

Hm… I should check if it's an electric fence... Is there anything metal here?

I looked around, and found a squashed can in the distance, near a garbage bag. I walked over slowly and picked it up. Ensuring I was a good distance away, I threw the can at the fence.

BZZERP

The can halted in the air for a second, and smoked as electricity jolted through it. It fell to the ground, clanging against the asphalt.

This left me with the intriguing question of how to get past this boundary. I've always appreciated these puzzles, being a detective. I've certainly gotten past worse, with less tools at my disposal.

Hm… Speaking of disposal… maybe there's something in this trash here that I can use.

So I started walking around, inspecting each and every piece of trash in the hopes of finding something to recycle.

As I approached the first pile, I saw some bags ruffle, and a couple of mice started scurrying across the ground. On the ground where the mice came from was just used napkins, paper, and empty cans. So I took a couple steps and looked at another pile.

Still, nothing. In fact, most every large trash pile I inspected was basically the same. Used human detritus that surely wouldn't be used by me. I needed to find _something_ that would either help me get over that fence, or break me through that fence…

As I continued to search, my eyes wandered over to the mice again. They ran a couple yards to reach some pile of trash, and they seemed to be eating something…

Wait… Is _that_ …

I calmly walked over to the mice's trash pile. Noticing me again, they grabbed whatever food they could and hurried away.

Yes. That's it. Where there's mice, there's food… And where there's food… there are eating utensils.

Sitting before me were scraps of chicken, mostly devoured by the hungry mice. But, obviously, the food wasn't what I was here for.

I was here for the thin metal skewers underneath the chicken. They were probably used for some barbeque, or something. It didn't matter what; I had what I needed. I knelt down slowly, and picked up one of the metal skewers. Yes, this should suffice...

Still crouching, my eyes started darting around again. If only there were…

Yup. Sitting not too far away from the food scraps was a pair of used gloves. I grabbed them both, and felt them.

Good. Rubber. With a grin and a sigh, I put them on. As much as this wasn't the most sanitary behavior, it was what was necessary.

I trudged through the trash once more to reach the door in the middle of the fence, with my new tools. I put my gloved hand on the doorknob, and jiggled it to ensure it was truly locked.

Yes, it was. That would be _too_ easy.

So it's locked, but where _is_ the keyhole… if there even _was_ a keyhole…

Well, time to find out.

I tried to bend the top part of my metal skewer into a hook. With a bit of effort, the skewer conceded, and I nodded. Then, I carefully threaded it through the fence opening so the hook was pointing at the back of the doorknob.

I pulled the skewer back and I felt it clang on the metal doorknob. I moved it around in an attempt to find any sort of keyhole.

After a bit of trying, I felt the skewer sink in about half an inch.

 _Yes_ … I wiggled the skewer in the back of the doorknob, trying to have it move what was locking that door. It was probably a more complicated lock than most, considering behind it was most likely the hideout of Izuru Kamukura. So I'd have to spend a bit of time bending the skewer myself to simulate the key he used to open-

Huh?

I felt the skewer turn clockwise more than normal. I froze my hand instantly, remembering the exact position to the best of my ability.

Hm… Did Izuru intentionally change the lock? Or was it just cruel irony for Despair to give these people such false hope…

Both answers seemed to explain the situation sufficiently. But, I wasn't here to explain everything. I couldn't even explain myself anymore. At this point, there was only one desire now, one mission, one goal.

To find Izuru Kamukura.

I started to turn my hand clockwise, to have the skewer unlock the door.

After a moment, I paused. The skewer was almost touching the electric fence because I was turning it. And I could feel the lock was only partway open. Also, who knows what would happen if an electric current ran through the doorknob and into the keyhole? It might lock me out for good. With my rubber gloves, I should be fine, but obviously it's better to be safe than sorry. So I carefully removed the skewer and weaved it out of the fence.

I mulled over how I would get this to work for a couple minutes, but this wasn't that hard of a puzzle. To get the skewer to move clockwise, it can't touch the fence. And getting it to not touch the fence required it to be further away from the edge that it would touch. I added another two bends to the top half of the skewer so the hook would keep its relative location, while the rotating part would be about an inch to the right more.

Requiring more coordination, I systematically got the skewer back in position, in the hole in the doorknob behind the door. Finding the exact location wasn't hard, and I turned the skewer. It turned further this time, and I could feel the door was almost unlocked when I tried the doorknob on my side.

 _Come on… just a little further…_

With one swift movement, I yanked the skewer clockwise as I twisted and pulled the doorknob. Once I realized the door was unlocked and opening, I released the skewer, which had to touch the metal of the fence to turn enough to unlock the door.

The skewer was promptly electrocuted. I waited until the skewer fell to the ground, and then I walked through the doorway.

This is why I loved being a detective so much. The thrill of solving mysteries…

Would I truly give this up for Izuru?

My mind started to wander, but I reminded myself not to think about this question now. As I discovered before, I didn't need to choose just yet. All I had to do was get Izuru on my side…


	9. Ecstasy

With a grin, I continued through the alleyway. I turned to my side to look at the door with the light for only a couple seconds, but then I smirked and moved on. If my 'polar opposite' theory was correct, which I assumed it was because of the gate, then the entrance to Izuru's hideout would be at the back of the alleyway, not on the side. Perhaps this was Izuru's intention… Punishing people for having false hope in such a simple entrance was a great way to get people to stop believing in Hope itself... I felt bad for anyone else who even dared approach this area.

I plowed my way through the trash to the backmost alley wall. It didn't make sense for _this_ much trash to be behind this fence, considering how the entrance was always locked. Then again, Izuru _was_ the one who told me that rational explanations weren't always necessary.

As the one light grew further away, and the alleyway grew darker, I turned on my flashlight, illuminating the path in front of me. I shined it on the ground, to ensure what I was stepping in was just trash, and not a trap.

I eventually reached the back wall. And, just as I expected, it looked very similar, especially in size, to what I saw before on the other side of town.

Except there were two doorknobs.

Two doorknobs? Didn't the other entrance have only one?

Maybe I missed it… Whatever. Either way, this wasn't a very hard puzzle at all. Since the doorknob I used to open the first door was on the right, then the one on the left should be the correct doorknob, and the one that will open this door.

There was no trash bin pressing me tightly against the door this time, so opening it would be far simpler. I grabbed the leftmost doorknob, twisted it, and pulled to the right.

I could feel the door slightly budge. Swiftly, I turned off my flashlight and threw it in my pocket. I grabbed the doorknob with both hands this time, and I pulled harder.

The door very slowly opened. This door was obviously much heavier than the previous one, taking a significant effort on my part to heave the panel to the right.

What awaited my eyes was complete darkness.

I grabbed my flashlight and turned it on again. As I threw the light into the dark room, it seemed very barren.

However, this room wasn't a room. It was more like a corridor. It extended far deeper than the other room, deep enough that I couldn't tell what was at the end, even _with_ my flashlight.

Hmpf. I'd find out what was at the end if I actually stepped inside and got closer.

With caution, I took my first step into the dark hallway. I could hear my shoes resonate as they hit the hard concrete. All the trash I stepped in made them sound more like a 'squish' than a footstep, though...

Seeing as the hallway was devoid of life, I took my second step in.

All of a sudden, two lights, to my left and right a couple feet in front of me, burned to life, illuminating the surrounding area so much that I didn't need my flashlight.

How convenient. I turned off my flashlight, for now, and put it back in my pocket.

I still didn't see the end of the hallway, but I _did_ see that there was a red carpet lining the center of the path.

Even more convenient. I walked up to the carpet and wiped my shoes to clean them of the detritus from the alley. Besides, one always wipes their feet before entering someone else's place of residence. And it wasn't _my_ carpet...

As I took another few steps, two more lights, a couple feet from the first ones, flashed on, lighting up more of the path. I continued until I could see the end of the hallway, which wasn't that far from where I started.

There was just a simple door. A clean, white door, at the end of the carpet. It was so… pristine.

I watched my step as I approached the door. Slowly, I reached out to grab the doorknob, and I stood to the side of the door as I twisted the knob. After detecting no excessive resistance, I calmly pulled the door towards me, blocking my view. I waited a couple seconds with the door open, and then looked inside from around the door.

It seemed to lead into some sort of foyer… There was a thick, reddish-brown carpet with all sorts of patterns on it laid across the hardwood floor. Bookshelves surrounded the room, with each book carefully placed and organized by category. The sheer number of books lined along the walls rivaled the Foundation's library itself. On the right side of the room sat an old fashioned wooden globe, with some markings on it that I couldn't decipher from my current position. On the other side of the room, there was a single chair. It had deep red upholstery, and even though the chair seemed expensive and formal, it also looked like it was very comfortable. Next to the chair was a small table with a reading lamp. The table was spotless. It was so clean, that I suspected it hadn't been used in a long time, until I looked closer and saw no sign of dust.

Hm... this room seemed _way_ too perfect to be used frequently by Izuru. It _was_ his house, after all. He has every right to use his foyer the way he pleases. And it's not like he's expecting anyone, either. No one would dare enter his hideout…

Well, except for me.

Wait, _was_ he expecting me?

No, there's no way he'd know... I dismissed the idea quickly. I checked the hallway to make sure there was no sign of anyone, and then I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Very quietly, I took my first few steps inside the foyer, and slowly closed the door behind me. The other side of the door was a deep black, which wasn't really surprising at all.

But finding Izuru Kamukura's hideout? That _was_ surprising. I never thought I'd find it. My heart was beating faster than ever in my excitement at finally solving the mystery. Or, was it being able to see Izuru? I couldn't tell...

The smell of _something_ enveloped the air around me. It seemed like… deodorant… or something similar. Well, whatever it was, I couldn't get enough of it. It was so inviting.

I walked up to the wooden globe and stopped to examine it more closely. Those markings I noticed earlier… they were just white and black dots. They were differently sized, too. It was very staggering to notice the overwhelming amount of black dots that speckled all areas of the globe. The number of white dots was far less. Hm… that did make me curious…

I spun the globe around, looking for this city. It was very noticeable, actually.

Because the biggest black dot, and the biggest white dot, were both placed over that city.

Yes, that made sense. After taking another quick look around the room (nothing else stood out to me, really), I started sneaking down the next hallway.

The hallway wasn't lit up very well, which did signify that no one was in the area, but one can't be too sure. I checked every open room as I moved slowly through the hallway. Each room seemed to display the same luxurious style as the foyer, and not a speck out of place, either.

As I made my way to a perpendicular hallway to my left, there seemed to be some… sound… coming from that direction. I peered around the corner to take a look.

The sound was coming from the room at the far end of the hallway, which was glowing a faint blue. In that room, I saw the edge of a brown couch, and a potted plant, which from my perspective seemed to be a cactus. Why a cactus, I didn't know. But the point was, that the room at the end of the hallway looked like a living room, and the sounds indicated that Izuru was most likely watching television.

So, I very quietly tiptoed to the next room in the hallway, getting closer to the living room. I tried to catch a glimpse of Izuru, but I wasn't close enough. I made my way over to the next room, which happened to be a white-and-black tiled bathroom.

The sound was getting louder, and it seemed much more familiar to me. Now that I thought of it… _that's_ how I knew it was the television.

Because I watched yesterday what Izuru is watching today. The show with Monokuma and the mechanical beasts. Why was Izuru watching _that_?

Well, he _was_. I could see him from the bathroom. He was only half paying attention to the television, though; he was furiously typing some commands into his laptop. Sticking out of the laptop was a USB stick. I stood there, hypnotized in the sight of Izuru Kamukura, until I heard something out of place.

"I know you're there."

The voice came from Izuru himself.

What? How? I mean, I _was_ watching him… But it was from a spot that he couldn't see me back...

Izuru slammed his enter key and removed the USB stick, tossing it in his pocket. He looked in my general direction.

"So you've found it. I commend you for that. But you know, Kyoko… It's very rude to enter someone's living quarters without their permission."

Izuru placed the laptop down on the couch, and started walking towards me. Knowing that my cover was completely and utterly blown, I revealed myself, and spoke.

"Sometimes what must be done is greater than obeying such societal standards."

Izuru smirked a bit at that and responded, "As I'm aware."

Izuru was barely five feet in front of me now, and moving closer. He was wearing dark blue jeans, with a black belt against his slim waist. A tight black dress shirt covered his chest, and his glossy, black hair was draped down behind it. His pale, white face contrasted with the rest of his appearance, which also emphasized his bold, red eyes. Even though he wasn't dressed up much, he still looked great. I could feel my head getting lighter, but I stood my ground.

As he approached me, he started to speak again, seemingly curious. The deodorant smell was getting stronger now, and it engulfed me with its intriguing scent.

"But I must consider… what was the motive behind it?"

Izuru stared into my eyes, trying to decipher my inner feelings. His piercing gaze was intimidating, yet inviting, two deep pools of red judging me. I got lost in his eyes for a bit too long before realizing that I'd actually have to answer him. And if I didn't answer truthfully, he'd know it.

Even if I _did_ answer truthfully, he'd know it. Izuru could read me like an open book. I tore my eyes away from his and closed them, facing downwards. I took a couple deep breaths, and began to think.

Did I _really_ have to choose now? Well, if I did, that choice was pretty obvious. I'd choose Izuru. It'd keep both options open, plus it was the option I very much preferred. But would Izuru know if I wasn't fully committed?

My heart was beating faster and faster as my longing for Izuru grew. I opened my eyes and turned up, lest not to look _too_ conflicted. Izuru displayed a grin unlike one I've seen before - it seemed to be filled with desire now. He looked at me with a face perfectly exhibiting the feelings I had for him. At this point, my heart ached for Izuru. It was a feeling I didn't know if I'd ever feel again.

But it wouldn't matter, right? If I got it right the first time, I wouldn't need to care about that.

My eyes softened a bit. In that moment, I knew. I didn't have to make a decision, but I did.

I'd capture Izuru Kamukura's heart.

It didn't matter if I'd turn out like my father. I didn't care about that right now. At least I'd be happy with myself. And at least I'd be justified in my decision; it's not like _his_ choice was as enticing as Izuru Kamukura...

So without hesitation, as if I'd practiced it a million times, I spoke the words that had once troubled me.

"I love you."

Izuru's eyebrows raised a bit in surprise, then lowered. He then took his right hand and slowly pushed my long, purple hair behind my left ear. My face tingled at his touch.

"I love you too."

All the butterflies in my stomach collectively fluttered, and I smiled at his confession. I was probably blushing, but it didn't matter. Nor did I care about such trivialities when Izuru was within my grasp.

We stood there for a second. And then, that second became two seconds. And-

Argh, I couldn't take it anymore! I was here with Izuru, finally. And nothing was happening. There was no way I was losing this moment.

I stood on my toes, extended my face, closed my eyes, and kissed Izuru. Honestly, he seemed to be expecting it, based on the way he reacted. It felt even better than the first time, and I indulged myself in his lips.

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me towards him. And, I did the same. A sudden warmth took over my body. We embraced each other for a good minute, and then Izuru started to move.

He was guiding me somewhere. I wasn't sure where, though. I didn't dare turn around to look, especially with Izuru's lips so close to mine. His repeated kisses captivated me.

Wait. Was he leading me _there_? I felt some sense of pleasure at the thought.

The room wasn't very far away from where we were standing. As we wandered into that room and I took a look around, I confirmed my assumption.

It was Izuru Kamukura's bedroom.

Already? Isn't that a bit too forward?

Well… It's not like it's _that_ bad…

If I was a detective for the next ten years, I'd never experience this feeling, of intense happiness and satisfaction. In fact, even if it was twenty or thirty years, nothing could compare to my love for Izuru at that point. I'd never known love was like this. But then again, love is unpredictable.

Izuru took another couple of steps, and then pushed me onto the bed with him.

And then - Well, let's just say the rest is history.


	10. Desire

_Gooooood morning, everyone!_

I woke up the next morning, my sleepy eyes focusing themselves after a couple seconds, feeling very satisfied. Never before have I felt like this. I've never had someone so close to me, love me for who I am. Being with Izuru last night… was amazing. It was unequivocally, the best night of my life. Not even ousting Junko Enoshima on my last day at Hope's Peak compared to this. Just Izuru and I, sharing ourselves with each other.

We barely spoke at all last night. It wasn't that we didn't know what to say, really. It was just that, on some higher mental level, we understood each other. There was essentially no need for words, because whatever one of us thought, the other could tell. Each of us knew the other's desires, and fulfilled them because it would fulfill our desires as well.

 _Goooooood morning, everyone!_

Wait… was that _Monokuma_? I guess something _did_ wake me up… I turned my head to the noise.

On Izuru's dresser sat a Monokuma clock-radio, currently repeating that phrase I knew all too well.

I sighed. I _definitely_ got enough of that in Hope's Peak. Hearing that same annoying bear over and over again would drive anyone crazy…

But I guess that's the point, isn't it?

I reached over and pressed the button on the top of the alarm clock, and it clicked. I then slouched my arm over the bed and continued to lay down.

 _Goooooood morning, everyone!_

Oh, I guess this clock didn't have an off button. How appropriate…

I grumbled as I glared back at the clock in a vain attempting to intimidate it. How _does_ Izuru deal with this...

Izuru's dresser was a dark mahogany color, with three extended drawers. It was very neat; the surface was empty besides the lone Monokuma radio. Looking downwards, the carpet was a black velvety material. It was very comfortable to walk on.

There were deep grey closet doors on the wall nearest to the dresser, closed of course, with crystal-like doorknobs. The whiteness of the walls contrasted beautifully with the closet and the darker colors of the rest of his modestly sized room. My eyes shifted around, and I saw Izuru's black marble writing desk. On it was a piece of paper and a pen, positioned perfectly in the center of the desk.

And Izuru's bed… it felt like heaven to lay on. My bed felt like a rock compared to this one. The black covers were like dark clouds of serenity… They were the color of rain clouds, with the tranquility of white ones.

But the covers weren't covering much at the moment. They were under me, and my clothes were piled up on the ground next to both the bed and the dresser. I was laying there naked on my back, exposed on Izuru's bed. Honestly, I didn't feel self-conscious at all. There was no one else who would enter this house other than Izuru Kamukura. And obviously, if last night proved anything, I didn't care if he saw me naked.

I sighed, revelling in the luxurious comfort of the bed, and in my love for Izuru. I could get used to this...

And to think, I had so much trouble making this choice… When it was clearly the right choice. I couldn't imagine doing anything else.

But would my friends... would they understand? Would they just see me like I saw my father? Just leaving them behind to pursue my own interests?

The image of my father's bones gift-wrapped by Junko back in Hope's Peak resurfaced in my head. I quickly shook away the thought.

I mean… Makoto understood when I told him… Plus, if Izuru is with me, he wouldn't have much time for bigger, Despair-filled plots. I was only focusing our energies on something other than world domination. So it wasn't like I was _abandoning_ them… It was like trading queens in chess; if you had the upper hand, you welcomed it.

But according to that globe, it seemed _they_ had the upper hand… which didn't bother me much, because I trusted the Foundation to track down and capture the other Remnants, which should turn the tide.

Yeah… all I had to do was keep Izuru busy… which was what I wanted to do, anyways. And it's what I've _been_ doing.

I took a deep breath, then exhaled. It looks like everything turned out exactly as I'd expected…

 _Speaking_ of keeping Izuru busy… I shifted in bed slightly to look at the other side, where Izuru would be.

He wasn't there.

Hm… That's weird…

I started to think about where he could have gone, but I noticed a note on his pillow. It was a simple note; folded in two, standing up on the pillow. I could see a couple lines of text on the piece of paper, in the same style as before. However, the text was very small, so I couldn't read it from here. I reached over the bed and grabbed the note.

I'm quite busy today, Kyoko.

I need to do some shopping.

I will be back as soon as I can.

Please do not leave the house.

-Izuru

By the way, look in the closet.

Oh, _that's_ where he went. Shopping. He probably had to do all his shopping himself, as he didn't want to risk anyone publicizing the location of his hideout.

I was very curious at his last statement, about the closet. Still wearing no clothes, I got out of bed and started walking over to his closet, feeling the comfort of the carpet on my bare feet.

Thankfully, the alarm clock stopped going off, so I could at least bear staying in this room. I reached for the closet doors and pulled them open.

My head tilted to the side in puzzlement.. There was only one piece of clothing hanging up, and no extra hangers or any clutter at all. The closet was in fact, quite barren.

I grinned at myself as I grabbed the dress off the hanger. To my surprise, there was another note attached to the dress. It was a very small note, unlike the others.

More to come.

Oh, was Izuru out buying clothes for me? That's very nice of him, I'll have to thank him later. So if I didn't want to put on yesterday's clothes, I'd have to wear… this.

What I was holding was an authentic Junko Enoshima dress. Normally, the idea of wearing this would be repulsive, but for some reason, I was more fine with it than I thought. Was I really going to wear this, though? The fact that I was even thinking of putting this on was... a bit unbearable.

At that, I chuckled a bit. I guess Monokuma and his bear puns were getting to me…

Well, I guess the fact of the matter was that Izuru wanted me to wear this dress. And if he really wanted it, I should fulfill his request. After all, isn't that what love is? Showing your partner that you'd do anything for them?

I sighed, and then carried the dress to the bathroom to take a shower. Honestly, I _really_ needed to take a shower…

Izuru's shower was spacious, but not too big. It was a solid white against the alternating black-and-white tiling on the floor. Very conveniently, there was a plain white towel hanging on the towel rack next to the shower. It was completely clean and unused.

Hm… Maybe Izuru really _can_ read my mind… I hung the dress on the back of the door and took a long, relaxing shower. Once it was over, I dried myself off and got dressed. After inspecting myself in my new attire, I walked up to the mirror and wiped off some of the fog. I looked in the mirror at me displaying Junko Enoshima's fashion.

The dress fit surprisingly well. I really hope Izuru didn't get it custom fitted...

I didn't necessarily like the look. But then again, I never necessarily liked _my_ look. I took the stark black hair dryer on the counter and started drying my long, purple hair. I felt very refreshed when I was finished.

My stomach grumbled instinctively, as I haven't eaten yet today and it was almost lunchtime. I struck a thinking pose, attempting to remember if I saw any room that looked like a kitchen on my way to Izuru yesterday.

Nothing initially came to mind, so I decided I'd just search the hallways I haven't explored yet. One of them _had_ to have some sort of kitchen.

Izuru's hideout was humongous. There were rooms for everything; it was almost as if every room in Hope's Peak had its counterpart in this hideout. The game room, the conservatory, the medical room… The list kept on growing.

Eventually I made my way to the kitchen. I knew it from the black marbled kitchen table in the center of the room, paired with the white fridge. There were white drawers surrounding the room, most likely containing the food that I sought. I systematically opened and closed all the drawers, looking for something that pleased my appetite.

The monochrome nature of this place was starting to get to me, but who was I to judge Izuru's taste in interior design? At least everything wasn't in neon…

After a couple seconds, I opened a drawer that had five boxes of Monokum-O's. Breakfast _was_ the most important meal of the day, after all. I grabbed one of the boxes and set it on the table. After discovering milk in the fridge, and finding a spoon and a bowl, I started to eat.

That didn't take long at all. After putting the dishes in the dishwasher and everything else back where I found it, I was going to-

Wait… What _was_ I going to do? I've already found Izuru. The Foundation's mission didn't matter to me anymore. I rarely had no work. Izuru wasn't even here, so I had to entertain myself. And I couldn't even leave the house. Not that I would want to, anyways, in _this_ outfit…

Hmmm, being bored wasn't very common to me… Well, now that I thought of it, I _did_ want to take a look at Izuru's library…

I walked back over to the library, which was in the same condition that I initially saw it in. I took a look at the black door for a second, then shook off the thought.

No, I wouldn't leave. Izuru told me not to.

I perused the titles of the books on the shelves for a good ten minutes, then picked out the one that was most interesting, to me at least.

It was a book labeled 'The Last Hope's Peak Class'

Settling down in the one chair in the room, I opened the cover of the book and began reading.

'Aoi Asahina - Ultimate Swimmer'

The first page had a picture of Aoi, along with some other important information about her, such as her height, weight, and GPA. Below that, there were a couple of paragraphs going into detail about Aoi's personality, characteristics, and flaws. I'd tell you, but I should respect Aoi's privacy.

I then turned the page, expecting more about Aoi. But the next page had a completely different profile.

I flipped through a few more. This had to be… the entire list of Hope's Peak students when the school went under…

I flipped to the 'N' section, and found Makoto's page. I smirked at some of it; I'd tell him later. He honestly deserved to know. After all, we all _were_ brainwashed…

Wait… where's the page about me?

I hurriedly turned backwards past the 'M' and 'L' sections. So I'd be under K… I…

What? My page wasn't there. I was really looking forward to reading it, too…

Izuru probably took it out, to be honest. He always plans in advance… But speaking of Izuru...

I flipped back a couple pages to see if there was an entry for 'Kamukura', but surely enough, there wasn't.

I eventually put the book back on the shelf, as reading about students who I've completely forgotten about, and who were probably dead, didn't really appeal to me.

I spent the next few minutes thinking about what to do next… Why couldn't Izuru just come home already…

I decided to just relax on the couch and watch TV. Honestly, if it's good enough for everyone else, it should be good enough for me.

I walked over to the TV room; the same one where I initially found Izuru. I picked up the remote, which was placed perfectly on the living room table in front of the couch. I threw myself on the couch, and turned the TV on.

On the screen were two Monokuma robots, dressed in suits. It looked like some sort of news program. They talked about various events, none of which really appealed to me, so I zoned out, daydreaming about Izuru.

'...robbery at the mall today. Upupupu!'

Wait, what was that?

'Monokuma Outfitters estimates a total of thirty pieces of clothing.'

'Upupupu! They did a real good job!'

Hm… Didn't Izuru say-

I heard the door crack open in the distance. Hurriedly, I turned off the TV and rushed over to Izuru. I've been waiting all day…

I entered the library to Izuru pushing a cardboard box into the room. As soon as he was finished and stood up straight to face me, I hugged him and gave him a long kiss. Once the embrace ended, I motioned towards the box.

"Is this-"

"Yes. It's for you."

I walked over and opened the box. Inside were, as I expected, about thirty garments, all for me. There were shirts and pants and dresses and everything else I needed. I've never had someone buy so much for me. Well, from what I knew, I assumed it wasn't _buying_ … but still…

I wasn't sure if what he did was right or not, but I wasn't going to call him out on it now. Not after last night.

"I… I don't know what to say…"

Izuru knelt next to me, looking into my eyes.

"You don't have to… By the way, I like your dress."

I smiled at that, and Izuru grinned as well. After the moment passed, he began walking towards the hallway.

"I'm assuming you can handle the box?"

"Yes, but…"

Izuru turned back towards me. He gave me a look of curiosity.

"Thank you for all this, but why so much?"

"If you're going to live here, you would need clothing, correct?"

"I do have clothing at my house."

"I'd prefer it if you didn't leave."

"Why?"

"I have my reasons. I'll explain later."

Izuru then promptly walked out of the library. To think… I'd be living here… Spending all my time with Izuru… The thought intoxicated me. I stood there stunned for a couple seconds, before I remembered I had to move this box to the bedroom.

After some heaving and pushing, I got the box to fit inside the empty closet in Izuru's room. I'd think about putting some of the clothes away, but I didn't know where Izuru wanted them. There weren't any hangers to hang the shirts and dresses up. I'd have to go ask Izuru about that.

After scouring the house for him, I smelled _something_ good, which led me to the kitchen. And, there Izuru was, cooking something on the stove. It looked like… chicken with peppers and onions. I could hear the satisfying sizzle of the food getting cooked, and my stomach grumbled uncontrollably.

Oh yeah. It _was_ about time for dinner…

Within a couple minutes, Izuru was finished. He split the food evenly, and then we sat down and began eating. The chicken was amazing, and everything else he added combined so well that I forgot to talk for the first couple minutes, fascinated by its taste.

Talking was something couples did at dinner, right? But what to talk about…

Well, I _could_ talk about the book I read today...

"So... " I looked up at Izuru, who finished what he was chewing and looked at me.

"You must remember our time at Hope's Peak."

"Yes I do, Kyoko. What about it?"

"Well, I'd like to know what happened back then."

"Obviously, I won't tell you everything."

"Yes, I know… I just want to know… What was I like?"

"You? I believe I have a quite biased opinion."

I smirked at his joke, and then continued.

"Well, that biased opinion will just have to do for now."

Izuru pondered for a couple seconds.

"You were very… detached. You didn't interact much with anyone, besides what was necessary. And you were always running around, working on investigations."

"I see… very much like myself now…"

"I beg to differ. You're quite different now." Izuru gave me a slight grin, and I couldn't help but smile as well.

"What about you?"

"Hm?"

"What were you like back then?"

"I… would prefer not to talk about that." Izuru instantly began eating again.

Hm… He _did_ remove his information from that book, too… Maybe someday I'll remember...

We both finished our meals and put our dishes away. We then spent the next however many hours in the bedroom, me trying on the new clothes Izuru got, and Izuru complimenting me on my appearance. Which would have gotten boring after a while, if it was anyone else except for him. About halfway through, we began cuddling, which eventually turned into sleeping.

Waiting all day for Izuru was totally worth it. I wondered what tomorrow would be like...


	11. Conflict

_Gooooood morning everyone!_

I woke up the next day in about the same state that I did the previous day. I was sure it was about the same time, too, because of the Monokuma clock.

 _Gooooood morning everyone!_

I closed my eyes again, attempting to blot out the noise of Monokuma and go back to sleep. After a couple more sounds of the alarm, I realized this was futile and that I should just deal with it.

Or I could get out of bed…

It was warm enough under the covers that I dismissed that idea as well. I sighed, waiting for the alarm to stop.

Wait… Is Izuru here?

I turned to the right, only to see Izuru's half of the bed empty again.

And, just like last time, he left a note for me. I grabbed it and started reading.

Good morning, Kyoko

I have some errands to run today

I'll be back eventually

Don't leave the house today, either

-Izuru

He'd be gone today _too_? Oh, well. Looks like I'd have to keep myself occupied again. There's only so much one can do on her own…

That's why people choose to be with others, I guess.

I got out of bed and started walking over to the bathroom. Izuru put another towel out for me today. He's very good at that; providing for me.

But still, I can't get the fact out of my head that he doesn't want me to leave the hideout. I wasn't even entirely sure _why_ he didn't want me out. I'd have to ask him about that…

But eventually, I'd _need_ to go outside. And then he'd _have_ to let me out. But for now, it's a small price to pay for being with Izuru.

Honestly, did I need anything else?

I finished taking my shower and draped the towel around me. After drying my hair, I walked back into the bedroom and opened up my closet.

Hm… What would I wear today…

Maybe this lavender dress? I didn't try this one on last night. I guess I'd surprise Izuru with it.

I took off the towel and got dressed.

I looked at myself in the dress. I haven't worn one of these in a long time… Well, I guess there wasn't a need to. Until now.

I smiled, feeling only slightly prettier than I normally did. I then went off to eat breakfast.

And yes, it was the same breakfast as yesterday. Monokum-O's. As I ate, I thought about what I was going to do today.

In my head, I went through all the rooms in the house. And, not many of them appealed to me. Nothing really seemed productive at all, except maybe learning more about Izuru and what happened before the fall of Hope's Peak.

Hmpf. It seemed my detective instincts were getting to me, as they usually do.

But what I was most curious about was why my page was missing from that book I read yesterday. Izuru probably hid it… but where…

Without thinking, I began scouring the room and searching all the drawers for this missing page. I knew it was here somewhere… That paper must have been important enough, at least to Izuru, that he took the time to rip it out of the book.

Honestly, this room wasn't the most intuitive place to hide a piece of paper. But then again, it would make the most sense to hide something where no one would look.

But then _again_ , Izuru never expected anyone to enter his hideout. So maybe it wasn't here-

Well, he _could_ have hidden it somewhere else after our first night together, before he left.

Argh, so many possibilities…

I decided to give in and search the obvious location first - the bedroom. I went back there yet again and opened all the drawers, moved the clothes around, searched in and out of his shirts and his writing desk, and his nightstand. I even searched under the bed, but all I found were my clothes from two days ago.

Alright, it surely wasn't here… So I should check the next most logical location.

Which was technically the most illogical location.

Hm… which room was the worst possible location to store an important profile…

Oh, right. The swimming room.

I fortunately remembered the path to that room, so I quickly walked over and entered.

I got a glimpse of this room yesterday, but I haven't seen it this close yet. The pool was not too big, but big enough. The still water was a sky blue, slowly splashing against the sides of the pool. I wasn't really a swimmer, but it looked so inviting. Maybe someday I'd get Hina to teach me some of the basics…

I proceeded to look around the room for hiding spots. The floor wasn't wet, but I was careful anyways. At least I wasn't wearing heels…

It seemed the only spot to hide anything was in the lockers. There weren't very many of them, only three.

I opened all three of them. Two were completely empty, so I closed those instantly. The third one had some of Izuru's swimming supplies, like goggles, swim trunks, and a swim cap (which didn't look like it'd fit all his hair, but I'm sure he'd find a way).

Well, there wasn't much here. I took a second look over everything, just to be sure.

Wait… was that…

I reached inside the pocket of Izuru's swim trunks and grabbed something slightly sticking out. It was the corner of a white piece of paper, exactly what I was looking for. Excited, I started to unfold it and brought it to my eyes to read.

At the top of the page, I saw my name, Kyoko Kirigiri, and my picture as well. My eyes moved past the useless information I already knew and went down to the paragraphs below.

'Ultimate Detective… strenuous relations with her father, the headmaster of Hope's Peak... is very independent and headstrong…'

I knew all this, too. Now didn't these have a section about weaknesses?

'Weaknesses: Has trouble dealing with emotions. Is very stubborn.'

Stubborn? I am _not_ stubborn…

Well, maybe a little...

But the first point hit me the hardest. The fact that people knew this about me and didn't let me know was a bit saddening. I've been struggling with that for the past week, and it was tough enough to muster up the courage to turn my back on the Foundation and follow my heart.

The question was, did I change? Izuru seemed to think so, but I wasn't so sure. These things don't just go away. I know I've made a small step, but I'd have to endure a much larger fight if I wanted to fully conquer myself.

Hm… that didn't sound as hard as it did before… maybe I _did_ change…

Well, I gleaned all the information I could from this profile. It seems I was finished here.

Naturally, I put the paper back where I found it. Izuru might expect me to go snooping around his hideout, but I wouldn't give him any evidence that I did.

I somehow found myself in the TV room as I was dazing off in my thoughts. Not motivated enough to find more secrets, if there even were any, I turned on the TV and sat down.

Hopefully, it'd be something I'd actually want to watch this time…

But then again, Monokuma _was_ always the one to crush everyone's hopes.

'And nooooooowwwwwww… Cooking with Monokuma!'

Hmpf. I wonder how this'll go…

I watched as a Monokuma with a tall chef hat and curly mustache prepared some soup that I've never heard of before. The bear spoke with a french accent, if you could even call it that.

I started flipping through the channels after some time.

'Monokuma… I am your mother'

Nope. I never wanted to see Junko Enoshima again...

'Ohhhh, and just like that, she's down! Only four to go!'

Wait, was this one of those Killing Sports that I read about in the Foundation's book? I just watched as a boy killed a girl very cruelly with a knife, blood squirting everywhere. Much to my dismay, the crowd went wild at that.

'Oh, it's a sneak attack this time! He better watch out!'

Nope. I changed the channel before I could witness another unfortunate murder.

'And todaaaaay, we have yet another missing person report! Isn't it great?'

'Upupupu! Of coooourse!'

Ugh, it was the news channel again. They seemed to be talking about someone who went missing…

Wait a second…

'An anonymous source has reported the disappearance of Kyoko Kirigiri, a famous detective and one of the surviving students of Hope's Peak.'

'She was one of the students who _killed_ Junko Enoshima! How could she?'

They've got it wrong, just like they always do. Junko killed herself. We just... helped her a bit.

'We've got the lead detective on the Kirigiri case here today. What's the scoop?'

'Well… Uh… We don't have much information to go on... But I just know we'll find her! Ms. Kirigiri's a great detective, and I'll make sure she gets to safety, if it's the last thing I do, pal!'

Hm… it seemed like he had an easy job… I was already safe here, in Izuru's house.

And I was barely even 'Ms. Kirigiri' anymore. As much as I had detective blood in me, I wasn't a detective anymore.

Hm… Kyoko Kamukura was a bit more on point, but it wasn't the truth yet.

Now that I thought about it… would we even get married? What would that be like?

I tried imagining it, but something about Izuru and I publicly getting married seemed off…

Honestly, that was very far in the future. I shouldn't be thinking about that now…

By the way, what time is it?

I took a look at the clock underneath the television.

It said 5:10pm

Oh, it was that late already? Izuru would be home soon, wouldn't he?

I didn't know, but he probably would.

The thought occurred to me of making dinner for Izuru, since he made me dinner yesterday. He's given me so much, he surely deserved something in return.

I wandered into the kitchen, and looked in the drawers again for something that I knew how to cook.

Which wasn't much, to be honest. All these long nights being a detective left me with little time to learn how to cook.

Oh, well. I'd just make something easy. Like pasta.

I grabbed a box of multicolored pasta. To my expectation, the pasta was black and white, with a couple red pieces. I set it next to the stove as I filled a pot with water and started to boil it.

I waited a couple minutes until the water was bubbling, and then put in the pasta. After I began stirring the pasta, I heard the door open down the hall.

I started walking towards the library, but then I realized that I was cooking and that I shouldn't leave the food unsupervised. So I just glimpsed down the hall, looking to see Izuru when he passed by.

After a couple minutes, he did enter the hallway. He seemed… exhausted, as he was looking at the ground. It also looked like he was covered in something… it looked brown-ish from my current perspective. As the light reflected off it, the thought came to me.

Was… was that blood?

He stopped in the middle of the hallway, and looked down in my direction. He gave me a sly grin, and then continued walking.

Hm… what was he up to…

Well, I'd ask him at dinner. I concentrated again on the pasta, as it was almost ready. I stirred it a bit more before the timer went off, and then I started serving it in the bowls I laid out earlier.

After a couple minutes, Izuru walked in, hair wet from an apparent shower. My heart jumped a bit seeing him this close again. I approached him and gave him a passionate kiss, and he hugged me back.

Izuru then stared at the pasta, and looked back at me. I didn't think he expected me to make dinner for him.

"It's only fair." I said.

Izuru grinned at that, "Yes. Thank you."

I instinctively smiled at his response, and sat down and began eating. The pasta was a bit overcooked, but I was pleased with the result. It's not like I've been cooking all my life.

Izuru started eating as well. It seems he figured out the same thing I did, but by the look on his face, it didn't matter to him either.

With that out of the way, I wanted to know what he possibly could have done today.

"What did you do today?"

"Some errands."

"Please explain."

"I believe that is my business only."

Well, now I _have_ to find out. "Are you _sure_ you can't tell me?"

"Yes. I would prefer not to."

"And I would prefer to be allowed to leave."

Izuru gave me a stare, showing some surprise at my rebuttal. He then continued eating.

"Kyoko, you know why I can't let you do that."

"And why is that?"

"Because, they're on to you. The Foundation surely knows you're missing. If you come and go freely, they'd surely follow you. If they find out that you're living here with me, they _would_ find a way into my hideout. And they _would_ take me away… Of all times, I can't get captured _now_... Now that you're here... And now that my goal is within reach..."

I started thinking, as I was sure there was some happy medium we could achieve.

"Hm… That is true… There's no way I could convince them to not see you as a threat…But what if I don't let them see me?"

Living in secret would still be much worse than just living my life out like a normal person. But Kyoko Kirigiri is no normal person. As long as I'd be with Izuru, I could probably deal with it.

"I know my way around this city. I know all the secret passages, and ways to escape the authorities. I couldn't teach you everything in time. It would be years before you learned it all."

"I _am_ a fast learner."

Izuru smirked at that, and then continued in a more serious tone, "It's too risky, Kyoko. I don't want to risk them taking me away... Away from you..."

I could understand that. I'd have to avoid the very Foundation that I was fighting for in order to live a content life. That wasn't optimal, but it might be worth it... Was there a better way, though?

"Hm… Why can't we move away in secret and not have to worry about all this?"

"This is much safer, as you'd probably agree. Unless… this isn't enough for you?"

"Of course it is. I don't need anything else." It was best to agree for now.

"Neither do I." Izuru gave me a sly grin as he ate more pasta.

We finished our dinner in silence. After putting away our dishes, Izuru started walking over to the TV room, and I followed him. I didn't know what he wanted to do, but I'd surely be with him while he was doing it.

Izuru slouched on the couch, and I sat right up next to him. He put his arm around me, and I rested my head on his shoulder. Izuru then turned on the TV.

'... a series of murders in the square today.'

Oh, yeah. I left the TV on the news channel. It seems Izuru didn't really like that channel, because he instantly changed it, to the Killing Sports channel.

Wait just one second…

"Is that… is that what you did today?"

Izuru stared off into space, as if he didn't really care anymore about keeping it a secret.

"Yes."

"But… but I thought you were done with that."

"Despair is a vital part of me, something I cannot rid myself of."

It was something about Izuru's monotonous voice that caused me to speak up, a bit louder than normal.

"Then why can't _I_ do what _I_ want? I had to give up everything for you… And for you to give up nothing in return..."

I instinctively started crying a bit. This wasn't right at all. This wasn't how it was supposed to be...

"Ok. What _do_ you want?"

Izuru's voice was more forceful this time, almost growling.

I could hear one of the competitors in the Killing Sports getting slaughtered from the TV. The sound of blood splattering across the wall sent shivers up my spine.

"What do _I_ want? I want a _normal_ life. In which neither Hope or Despair matters. In which we're both free to work normal jobs, come home to a normal dinner, and do whatever we want. In which we won't be bothered by anyone else asking us to risk our lives to save the world from whichever group they decided was against them. I want _you_ , Izuru. I don't want anything else. In fact, I want _nothing_ else. I… just want you…"

Izuru seemed to warm up at my monologue, but he started staring off into space again.

"You know that's not possible. We're both Ultimates. Out of anyone, we're the furthest from normal. Our paths and responsibilities were set in stone since the second we were conceived. And sometimes, there are things we just can't escape from. Even if I _did_ give up, the Foundation wouldn't believe me... Not that I want to give up. There's something I still need to do..."

Hm... What was that...

"What is it?" I asked, grasping his hand in mine. Maybe I could convince him otherwise...

Izuru gave me a look of slight annoyance, but he eventually conceded and gave a quiet sigh.

"My plan, my true goal for Despair... I've been working towards it for a long time, now... All these actions that I've been taking... They're just simple distractions so the Future Foundation doesn't suspect that something larger is underway... That's the real reason I murdered those people..."

I stared into his eyes, trying to get a read on his emotions. But after a second, he turned away from me again and continued speaking.

"Besides... If the Future Foundation noticed anything... I wouldn't be the only one in danger. You would be, too. It'd be too suspicious if my behavior instantly changed. That's why we have to act like I kidnapped you. We can't give them any reason to separate us..."

I didn't want us separated, either. But I'd never expect someone to actually _kill_ people to protect me...

But was it truly for me, though? Or was it for his plan?

A slight sinking feeling hit my stomach at the thought that he could be prioritizing his plan over me - maybe even to the point that he'd fake his love just to further his plan.

No. I quickly shook off the thought. I knew he loved me. I saw it in his eyes that night. That look isn't something you could fake.

Or was it...

I decided to change the subject quickly to get the doubtful thoughts out of my head. I needed him to tell me more about something, anyways...

"What's this plan of yours?"

Izuru quickly responded, almost as if rehearsed, "I can't tell you."

What? Surely he can tell me, I'm his girlfriend.

"Are you sure? Don't you trust me?"

"It's not about you. I can't trust _anyone_ with this plan. The entire plan could crumble in an instant if word got out."

"Izuru..."

He turned back towards me. My eyes were clearly trembling from all the drama. But his face was stoic, almost as if this had no effect on him. I mustered up the courage to speak up.

"Why can't you just give up... Like I did... Please..."

Izuru responded clearly. It sounded like he didn't want to bring this up.

"Because it's the only other thing important to me. It's not only for me... it's for a friend. I wouldn't be able to live with myself otherwise..."

"A... friend..."

The gears in my head starting grinding, trying to comprehend what he could be talking about. It _had_ to be Junko, right?

'Oh, and that's the last kill! With the throwing knife, too!'

My eyes turned towards the TV, to watch as a limp body, with a knife through the heart, fell to the floor with a thump. The crowd went wild at the sight of a new champion, if the winner was even worthy of that title…

Hm? The TV's screen changed to black. Izuru must have turned it off.

I turned towards him, feeling about as strained as he was from this talk. But that feeling instantly disappeared as he gave me a long kiss.

"I believe I've said enough."

I nodded at his statement, and we just sat there, next to each other, for some time, my head lying on his shoulder.

I _guess_ I could endure whatever boredom ensued in this house, if it was keeping us together. I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't talk him out of his plan. But there's always tomorrow. I'm sure he'd come to his senses eventually.

Still, there was something that wasn't sitting well with me... It definitely had to do with that plan of his... Although I didn't really suspect that he was using me just to have one less investigator on his tail, I still couldn't be too sure. I needed to know...

Eventually we went to bed. I couldn't let the topic sit too long, so I turned towards him, and even though he was sleeping with his back towards me, I spoke up.

"Izuru... Why would you do this now... You're already busy with your plan, and with everything you've been doing to cover it up... Why couldn't you wait... until you had more time to spend with me... It's been so boring without you... Unless you really don't-"

Izuru didn't bother turning around before he spoke. I've honestly gotten used to that...

"It was the perfect time... I needed to tell you, Kyoko... I needed to tell you that I loved you... Before it was too late..."

So it _was_ about me, after all... But...

'Before it was too late'...

No...

"Izuru... Is your mission... _that_ dangerous?"

Izuru didn't move from his position, still facing away from me. He didn't say a word, so I took that as a 'yes'. I've gotten used to that, too...

Suddenly my mind flashed back to my conversation with Makoto earlier. About Sayaka. About how defeated he was when he found out she was dead... Fear instantly gripped me, as I could very well lose the one thing I cared about, all thanks to some Despair-filled plan. As if Despair didn't take enough from me already...

My eyes widened as I sat up in bed and grabbed Izuru's side. I started nudging him a bit, anxious to stop him. It didn't matter what the plan was. I wouldn't let him risk his life.

"Izuru, tell me, please... I can't let you go through with this... Even if you have to steal and kill... I can't let you die... I love you too much... If you die from following Junko Enoshima, I'll never forgive my-"

"It's not... about Junko..."

Izuru's words shot through me like his gun from the Striped Bear. They were sharp and quick, stunning me to silence. I sat there motionless for a couple seconds, unable to comprehend what he just said.

So it's... not for Junko? It's... for someone else?

But who...

Izuru pulled the covers over him, shifting positions quickly.

"Despair isn't always on my mind, you know..."

However scared I was before, what Izuru said seemed to calm me. At least for now. I leaned over to him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before laying back in bed.

"I know."

As I laid there that night, I still couldn't shake the feeling that Izuru was in danger. That I needed to do something about it. Even if it was for a friend... But what could I do, if he wouldn't even listen to what I said... The misery kept me up for a couple hours, before tiredness enveloped me and I fell asleep.


	12. Acceptance

_Gooooood morning, everyone!_

This was my third morning in Izuru's house. I'd gotten used to the Monokuma alarm by now, the repetitive bear having no effect on me. I laid on my back, continuing to think about last night. Forget being allowed to leave... Izuru's plan was much more concerning right now. I still haven't found an answer for how to deal with it. Almost every possibility was instantly shot down.

Hm… maybe there wasn't anything I could do... Maybe he'd endanger himself whether I liked it or not...

No. I _would_ find something. I wouldn't let him die.

That's what couples did. Protect each other.

But having no information about his plan (because he wouldn't tell me), I had almost no options. A good place to start would be finding out what exactly he was risking his life _for_. But I had a bad feeling he wouldn't even tell me that...

Well, it doesn't hurt to try...

So, I turned my head to look at the other side of the bed once more.

And, just as the previous two days, Izuru was not there, and he left a note in his place.

Hm, what did it say _this_ time?

Slowly, I moved my right hand to pick up the note.

CLANG

My right hand was stopped by something. Startled and a bit confused, I stretched my right hand harder in that direction.

I heard another clang, but this time, my left hand was yanked upwards.

Wait a second…

I turned my head, now that my right hand was visible, and what I saw shocked me.

Izuru handcuffed me to his bed.

But… but… I thought…

I thought he truly loved me… That he wouldn't do this… That he would understand I wouldn't do anything without his permission...

Wanting some sort of explanation, I stretched my head and body in the direction of the note, straining my eyes to read it. This confirmed the fact that my legs were tied to the back of the bedframe as well, albeit with heavy rope because my legs were too thick for handcuffs. With enough wiggling, the note came into focus.

If you're looking for an apology

for what I've done, you're not getting it.

I can't risk you interfering with my plan.

You have my word this is only temporary.

This is the price we have to pay for love.

-Izuru

Izuru... I know I argued with you yesterday... But why…

I instantly became angry at myself, for being so up-front about the double standard that I've been experiencing... How _he_ could do whatever he wanted, and _I_ couldn't... Especially how he wouldn't give up on his stupid plan for me... Things would have been a lot better between us if I hadn't even brought this up…

But then again, this would have happened eventually, right? Living a secluded life and pretending you were kidnapped would surely drive _anyone_ crazy, especially if the reason why you did so didn't make sense to you. So it's only logical that I brought it up with him as early as possible.

And as much as I was angry, I'm not sorry that I _did_ bring it up. I learned that Izuru would be risking his life sometime in the near future, and I didn't know when. As a matter of fact, it could very well be now... The sense of urgency that consumed me as I tried to fall asleep last night returned, and I almost panicked as a result.

I took a couple deep breaths to counteract it. Detectives need to stay calm in situations like these...

But still… one question came to mind… Was Izuru truly faking kidnapping me? Or was he _actually_ kidnapping me? If Izuru continued to tell me not to leave his house, I'd listen to him, just like I did the first two times. He didn't have to _handcuff_ me to the bed in order to keep me here…

Yet, he _did_ say he did this for love… I honestly didn't know what to believe anymore.

Ugh… _why_ did he have to do this? He was making things more complicated than they had to be… Why couldn't he just unlock these handcuffs and let us go about our lives together? I'm sure he was overreacting, and everything would be just fine...

I felt a pang of nostalgia for our time together on that first night, not having to deal with any of the problems that this world forced onto us.

But right now, I was forced to stay where I was, and I didn't want that.

I needed to save him.

I flailed my arms and legs extensively in the off chance that I could break free, rattling the handcuffs as hard as I could. I stopped after a few seconds once I realized it was futile.

Ok… Ok… Let's take another deep breath… There's no use making hasty decisions...

I calmed my senses, and began to assess the situation.

Izuru handcuffed me to the bed so I wouldn't leave the hideout, because he thought it would interfere with his plan and eventually snowball into us not being able to be together.

So, the question was, did I really want to break my loyalty to Izuru and attempt to escape the handcuffs?

But… even after the past couple days, and telling me he loved me… he didn't even trust me. Still... I've never betrayed him before, and I've barely thought about betraying him even now.

Either way, if he didn't trust me, I shouldn't trust him. Honestly, is this _really_ for the better, like he said? Kyoko Kirigiri is _not_ a submissive woman. I'd go to great lengths for Izuru, but this surely is too far… I didn't even want to think about how I'd eat, go to the bathroom, watch TV with Izuru, or do anything else if Izuru had to closely monitor my every move. It'd be like Hope's Peak all over again… It'd be like I was Izuru's slave…

One time at Hope's Peak was enough. I definitely did _not_ want to go through that again...

So it's settled, then? So I'd-

I'd escape Izuru's handcuffs, and find some way to capture him, to protect him from his plan. Because he couldn't hope for a better future for both of us. Only _I_ could.

But… But what about love? I'd be leaving the one thing that truly made me happy… My feelings for Izuru wouldn't go away easily, if at all. I still felt longing for Izuru...

But right now, I was actually grateful he wasn't here in the mornings when I woke up...

Honestly, I was nervous. Nervous that I wouldn't be able to move on without Izuru. If I turned him in, we'd surely be…

Then it hit me. It completely startled me like Izuru's note that fluttered through the wind and smacked me in the face that one day. It was a moment of stark realization, that my perception was inherently flawed. My eyes widened as I stopped breathing for a second.

If I turned in Izuru, he'd be brought to the Foundation. That much I knew.

And then, Makoto's so-called 'Hope Restoration Program' would attempt to save the Remnants from the clutches of Despair.

No, it wouldn't attempt to save them… It _would_ save them. I had full confidence in Makoto, as I always had. And then Izuru wouldn't have to live in fear of the Foundation capturing him, because he'd be on their side. We'd be able to live together, without keeping our relationship a secret.

I forgot to take into account this fact, the fact that I could have both of my desires fulfilled.

Catching Izuru Kamukura, and being able to love him afterwards without keeping a secret relationship like this.

So both choices inherently became one. The path in front of me was clear now. There was no hint of fog anymore, no diverging crossroads. I could see for miles down my path, all the way into the endless sunset in the distance...

But every journey required a first step. And the first step was breaking free from these annoying handcuffs and ties that rendered me basically immobile.

But how… I barely could move. This situation took me off guard, so I didn't have my tools that I always carried with me because they were with my clothes…

Which were under the bed…

I smirked at myself. My detective instincts _may_ be rusty, but they have yet to fail me…

So I had to get to my clothes… But how...

I took a second look at the handcuffs, and everything around them. My fingernails unfortunately couldn't be used to pick the lock, and there was nothing else even remotely helpful close by.

So I guess that was out of the question for now… Which left the rope around my feet…

The rope was thick enough that it wouldn't break easily. So I'd have to…

Untie these knots with my toes? Is that even possible?

Technically, I have been in worse situations. But this one was up there.

Meticulously, I inspected the knot tied around my left leg. I memorized which sections of rope controlled which parts of the knot. And even more carefully, I used the big toe on my right foot to attempt to loosen it. I made sure to be extremely quiet, just in case Izuru was somewhere else around the house.

But he wouldn't be, right? He _did_ leave a note for a reason… He didn't get back until dinnertime the past two times he did...

So I might have more time than I thought.

Five minutes passed, and I only slightly loosened one part of the knot. I got a bit further after another five minutes. This was indeed exhausting and precise work, but it had to get done.

Eventually, I pulled the last section of rope free and my left leg was completely free. A bit sore, but free. My right leg was still tied to the bedpost, though, so untying one leg did not inherently free the other.

So now what…

I stretched my leg around, as it was feeling stiff from being locked in the same position. I touched the velvety carpet with my foot and pushed my body upwards, releasing some of the tension from the stiffness. I then stretched my leg under the bed, feeling around for something out of place.

After a couple seconds, my legs hit a clump of softness that felt different than the carpet. I carefully pushed it out, towards my side of the bed.

And, surely enough, it was my clothes from three days ago, still in the same condition they were when I took them off that fateful night...

With calculated precision, I dug my foot underneath the pile of clothes, and steadily lifted them until I could reach them with my left hand. I pushed them onto my stomach, at which point I didn't need my leg anymore, so I rested it on the bed in its original position.

Now, let's see… what can I use…

Among my tools were pepper spray, some rope, a pair of suction cups, and a small knife. Unfortunately, the knife wouldn't come close to cutting the handcuffs-

Wait a second…

I've always carried handcuffs with me. And they weren't here now.

Izuru must have used my _own_ handcuffs against me… how ironic…

Actually… this isn't that bad. Honestly, what kind of detective _doesn't_ carry a way out of her own traps?

I ruffled through my clothes once more, and found what I was looking for: my hairpin.

The hairpin that I wore every day, except for when I was sleeping.

The hairpin that conveniently fit in the keyhole of my handcuffs.

I grabbed it with my right hand, and reached behind my head to try to pick the lock. I could only see what I was doing through the corner of my eye.

I felt the hairpin sink into the keyhole, and after fiddling around for a bit, I heard a soft click.

I quickly moved my wrist away from the silver handcuff. It obeyed my will and opened, freeing my hand. I pulled both my hands away from the bed frame. Amid the rattling of the chains from the handcuffs, I sat up on the bed.

I was free. Izuru couldn't hold me back now…

Well, I wasn't entirely free. My leg was still tied, but I'd get to that soon enough.

I instinctively flexed my wrist a bit before switching the hairpin to that hand. It took much less time to free my second hand, as I could see what I was doing. And now, all I had to do was untie my leg, and-

THUMP

What was that?

Was that the door I heard, in the distance?

No… no… Izuru can't be home already… It wasn't even time for dinner yet…

Even worse, he'd know I disobeyed him… and I didn't know what would happen because of it.

He might lock me up tighter. Or he might kill me.

I mean, he still loved me. But obviously, if that note proved anything, it's that he wasn't able to see past his own desires. Even if he _was_ doing it for a friend...

My eyes lit up for a second. There _was_ one way out of this situation. One way to capture Izuru _and_ get out of here, unharmed. It was risky, but honestly, I'd never get a better chance.

I heard the door creak shut, a couple rooms away. I shoved my clothes off my stomach and back under the bed, leaving no signs that I ever moved them.

But was it right, though? It just felt so… deceptive. I felt bad for even thinking of this idea. But… it had to be done. After all, Izuru would do the same thing, right?

No, he _did_ do the same thing...

The sound of footsteps grew louder. Hurriedly, I re-tied the knot on my leg, using the other knot as a template. Then, I dug my hands under my head, close to the back of the bedframe so Izuru wouldn't know I unlocked them. And then, I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep.

To be blunt, I felt like Sayaka. In how I was using someone's love for me as a weapon against them. In how I still loved them, but there was some ulterior motive that was forcing me to do this.

I took a deep breath. There was no turning back now. This was the only way. The only way I'd get Izuru close enough, and vulnerable enough, to finally complete the mission I've been waiting months to finish.

Izuru's footsteps sounded much closer now, and after a couple seconds, they stopped. I assumed he was at the entrance to the room, watching me lay there.

"You're sleeping rather late today."

Carefully, and slowly, I blinked a couple times to focus my eyes, attempting to feign sleepiness.

"Oh."

I glanced at the clock quickly, because I shouldn't know what time it was if I slept through the Monokuma alarm. It was around 12pm.

"I must have slept through the alarm… Which reminds me, you're back quite early today."

Izuru walked closer to me, and I shifted my eyes to him, making sure to not glance at my legs, or else he'd expect me to bring up the rope.

"Yes I am. Is that a problem?" Izuru gave me a playful smile.

"Of course not. Your voice is far better to wake up to than that annoying alarm clock."

I tried my best to replicate Izuru's intriguing grin. Izuru seemed pleased at that, and my compliment, because he chuckled and moved in closer for a kiss.

He looked as stunning as ever. But I wouldn't let his looks get the best of me today. I closed my eyes in expectation, and slightly moved my face towards his, careful not to reveal the unlocked handcuffs underneath.

As his lips touched mine, I felt a sense of ecstasy. I revelled in the moment that might very well be our last kiss.

But it was time. I'm sorry, Izuru, but it's for us. It's for both of us.

Moving my hands from underneath my head, I quietly moved the handcuffs into position over his hands, which were conveniently close to me.

And then, without hesitation, I slowly closed the handcuffs over Izuru's wrists, with a soft clicking sound that echoed throughout the room and inside my heart.


	13. Speechless

Izuru knew what happened as soon as he heard the sound. I could tell because his lips let up a bit of pressure against mine.

But he held the position, nonetheless. I opened my eyes to look at him, but his eyes were still closed. It's almost like he was in disbelief, unable to process what just happened.

He's been using the same tricks against me, and they've been working.

Until now.

After a couple seconds, Izuru finally released his lips. He staggered backwards a couple steps, and then his eyes opened wide. I could see the reds of his eyes, still a deep, warm red.

Izuru was looking at me as well. Rather, it seemed like he was looking past me, as his eyes were unmoving and unresponsive to my motion.

I quickly untied the knots around my legs, and then stood up next to Izuru. He turned towards me as I got closer. He raised his eyebrows, expecting something from me. Maybe some sort of explanation, or speech, or possibly a kick to sweep him off his feet and knock him out…

But before I could say something, Izuru spoke up.

"I guess I really _can't_ trust you, then..."

I couldn't let everything end here... I couldn't let all our hard work go to waste... I had to object.

"No, Izuru... It's not what you think-"

"No, it's _exactly_ what I think..."

He growled at me, and I jumped a bit, startled. My face showed compassion, but it didn't reach him.

"No, please-"

"Just... take me away... Complete your mission..."

A glazed, aloof look formed on Izuru's face as he turned away from me. I felt bad for what I did - but I'm sure he would understand eventually. I hugged him from behind, and whispered something. I couldn't leave him in this state...

"You know I still love you... I'm doing this to _save_ you..."

"You don't understand..."

"Understand what?"

Izuru didn't even move. He stood there, awaiting his fate, not letting me interfere, staring at the wall. I shook him a bit.

"Understand _what_?"

He didn't respond. After a couple seconds, I decided there was nothing I could do, and I slowly grabbed his right wrist and started leading him out of the hideout.

The sun was hot that day. It _was_ noon, which meant it was only getting hotter. The sun beat down on me quite like the first day I received this mission.

Except it wasn't like that at all. I was a different Kyoko Kirigiri now, one who learned the valuable lesson of understanding human emotions. Emotions aren't something that we should just hold back. Weakness or strength, they're what make us human. And they allow us to truly experience life unlike any other animal.

Izuru Kamukura didn't once attempt to escape. I led him through the trash in front of his hideout, and up to the gate, which I somehow managed to unlock with one hand after finding some piece of trash similar to the skewer I used last time. And through that, Izuru didn't speak a word. His eyes trailed off every so often.

Eventually we escaped the alleyway, and we walked out onto a side street, where the full intensity of the sun radiated upon us. The shining rays of Hope pierced through everything it could see... Izuru turned his face upwards and looked straight at the sun, his face very pensive.

I gave him a couple seconds to himself, and then pulled him along, as looking directly at the sun was bad for your eyes. We walked down this side street and turned right onto another, more bustling one, inching ever closer to the Future Foundation's Headquarters.

We caught the eyes of many people, as we were indeed out of place. I was still in my purple nightgown, as changing was too risky, and I was walking on foot with Izuru Kamukura in handcuffs, staring off into space, without any additional assistance or bodyguards for backup.

Even in this world, that was a very uncommon sight.

However, I decided to not let their invasive eyes bother me, as this was the right thing to do. If I learned anything on this journey, it was to not let anyone get in the way of what you want.

Anyone, including yourself.

I stopped on a street corner, as the traffic lights indicated to me that it wasn't my turn to cross. I took a couple of deep breaths, as walking in this heat wasn't very comfortable, especially while leading someone else. I started to remember the pathway to the Headquarters. I sighed, as I realized there was still a long way to go.

As the crosswalk sign ticked white, I snapped back out of my thoughts. I looked right, and then I stepped into the street with one foot before looking left.

There was a car speeding towards me from about a hundred feet away. Startled, and a bit angry, I hurriedly brought my foot back onto the sidewalk as I watched the car as it approached us. Izuru turned to look at it as well.

The car screeched to a halt in the middle of the crosswalk. It was a light brown car, at least ten years old, and not too big. The rightmost window rolled down and I was looking at a somewhat familiar face.

It was the detective from the news program I was watching on TV the other day.

"Kyoko! You've been here all along? Am I glad to see you, pal!"

"Yes, I've been here. Just out of sight. I honestly didn't need to be rescued at all, detective."

"Oh? Well… could you come with me anyways? I'd really like that promotion…" The detective scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

I thought about it for a couple seconds, and then I had an idea.

"Fine."

"Hop in, pal!" The detective reached over to unlock the passenger door on the right.

I opened the door quickly, and then gave Izuru a little shove to indicate that he should get in the car first. After he obliged and moved to the far seat, I entered the car, sat in the rightmost seat, and closed the door.

"Wait till the precinct hears this one!" The detective smiled as he saw the green light and revved his engine.

"Actually, we're not going to the precinct." I responded

"Huh?"

"We're going to the Future Foundation's Headquarters."

"Why?"

I gave the detective a stern look, "Just do it."

"Ok, pal." He shrugged as he instantly turned left.

Now, we were moving much faster to the Future Foundation. I grinned at myself, but then my face became more somber as I looked at Izuru.

He was staring out the window, into the distance again, probably thinking about something. He's probably still unable to believe what I did to him… and mad at himself for letting me do it. He hasn't said a word since we left his hideout...

To be honest, he's most likely overwhelmed by all this. Not to mention his entire way of life would change once the Foundation got a hold of him. And so he's sitting here, engulfed in his self-pity in the present and the future…

From my perspective, there's only one word that could describe how he felt right now.

Despair.

But he'd want to feel that way, right? After all, he _is_ Izuru Kamukura, Junko's best student.

Anyways, regardless of whether he wanted this feeling or not, I felt incredibly guilty and sympathetic for inflicting this on him. I felt like I messed everything up. My heart has been sinking ever since I saw him like this, and I didn't know what to do. After I deceived him, he didn't deserve to feel like this. No one deserves to feel Despair. If only there was some way…

I opened my mouth to speak again, but no words came out. There was really no right thing to say here, either. Izuru had to know that I was there for him, and that everything would be all right in the end.

And actions speak louder than words, don't they? But nothing _too_ imposing...

I looked down from Izuru's face, and at his hands that were sitting on his lap. With a subtle touch, I moved my left hand and rested it on top of his right. His hand felt warm from the sun's rays.

Slowly, Izuru shifted his face towards mine. An unstable look once again enveloped him, as he stared into my eyes. His bloodshot eyes wavered every so often, and his glossy black hair looked slightly frazzled.

I smiled softly, not looking deceptive or sarcastic. A smile that would convince anyone that there was nothing wrong. I released all of my emotion into my expression, so that Izuru could see that it was genuine.

From my hand, I could feel that Izuru lost some tension in his body. I started breathing again, not realizing I was instinctively holding my breath.

After another couple minutes of us sitting there in silence, the detective pulled the car up to a stop at the front of the Future Foundation's Headquarters.

"We're here, pal."

"Thank you." He _did_ do me a favor, after all.

I got out of the car and dragged Izuru along with me. I started walking up the door of the building. As I turned around to look at Izuru once more, I saw the detective wave at me from his car before pulling away.

I quickly opened the door and stepped into the entrance hall of the Future Foundation with Izuru Kamukura.

The inside of the Future Foundation was visibly grand, even though it clearly gave our location away to our enemies. There _was_ a reason for this… But I wasn't sure what. _I_ surely wasn't the one who designed this building, after all...

A long carpet on top of white marble tiles greeted me as I took my first couple steps inside the building. The ceiling was very high, especially for a building like this one. As I looked upwards, the perfectly carved walls seemed to go on forever.

The hallway was bustling with people in suits and other formal attire. Many voices could be heard amid the clicking of shoes against the marble floor.

However, most of those voices stopped once everyone realized I was there.

They seemed to stare at me in amazement… In complete surprise…

Well, it wasn't just me, I was sure. It was Izuru as well. The Foundation's biggest target.

Actually, I think it was both of us there, together, amplifying their stares.

I realized I shouldn't just stand there watching everyone look at me. So, I decided to keep on moving. As if in a trance, their eyes followed us.

At the front of the room, there was a counter with a man behind it, who was staring at the two of us as well. The counter was a sleek black marble, lined with gold. As I approached him, I started speaking.

"Excuse me, sir."

The man seemed out of it for a second, and then shook his head quickly, "Y-yes?"

"Could you please lead me to-"

"Kyoko!"

My sentence was interrupted by a familiar voice coming from my left. I turned and saw him. I spoke with him not too long ago, actually.

Makoto Naegi.

His eyes widened at the sight of Izuru Kamukura, and then he rushed over to me. Izuru continued to show no emotion, despite the large crowd. He was staring at the ground again…

"Kyoko… Good job, I guess. But I thought you were going to-"

"Makoto, please. We can talk later. Could you direct me to the cells?"

The Foundation keeps all of its prisoners in jail cells on the lower floors, but I've never actually been down there. This was my first mission. From what I've heard, they're the most secure jail cells in the city, yet they were humane enough to give their victims a somewhat healthy lifestyle.

After all, the Foundation didn't want to impose Despair on its victims. _That_ would be contradictory…

Makoto nodded, acknowledging both statements, "Of course, Kyoko."

He then sternly walked in front of me and continued to the elevator, in which Izuru and I entered. The elevator was gold-lined just like the counter, and had a felt red carpet on the floor.

Makoto pressed a button and the elevator started to move. I noticed Makoto staring at Izuru for some reason, but when Izuru noticed and looked up slowly, he looked away. Maybe he was trying to decipher what Izuru was thinking, to better understand his enemy.

But, I actually thought he was looking at Izuru to see what I saw in him, to see why I wanted him so much. I gave Makoto a slight stare, and to my expectation, he gave a small nervous grin.

The elevator slowed to a stop after a couple seconds. Makoto led the way down the hall, which was lined with jail cells. It looked to me like they were all in use.

However, besides one inmate who was laughing to himself uncontrollably, everyone I saw was sitting in a corner in the shadows, not doing anything at all. It's like they just gave up, just like Izuru… It's like they gave in completely to Despair and yearned for nothing else.

Well, that would change soon. Izuru looked side to side at the Remnants imprisoned here, showing more movement than he did the past ten minutes. Each Remnant looked up at him in response, but showed no emotion or other signs of acknowledgement.

Eventually, Makoto stopped at an empty jail cell.

"Well, in he goes." Makoto motioned towards the inside of the jail cell.

I stopped outside of the cell and gave Izuru a gentle push in that direction. To my surprise, he obliged willingly, taking the couple steps necessary and sat down against the wall in a similar fashion as the others. I stared into his deep red eyes, still visible despite the darkness. Honestly, they were about as inviting as they used to be, and something clicked inside me.

Makoto grabbed the cell door and started to close it, keeping a close eye on Izuru, when I spoke up.

"Makoto, could I have a minute?"

Makoto, startled, stopped closing the door, "Y-yeah, of course."

"Thank you." I nodded at him, and then walked inside the jail cell with Izuru. Makoto closed the door behind me in precaution, but he didn't lock it.

Izuru's eyes did not move as I walked towards him. I sat next to him calmly.

I turned my head to look at him, yet he continued to stare at the door. He _needed_ to acknowledge that I still cared for him. I wanted to explain to him everything, and for him to understand me, so that we could live happily ever after like in all those stories my mother read to me as a child.

I never believed them back then. After my father left, all hopes of a happy future were gone, and what remained was my work only. No matter how much you willed something, sometimes it just wasn't meant to be.

But that doesn't mean you should give up hope. Because you never know what could happen. I still didn't believe in these fairy tales, but I never dismissed the possibility that everything could work out the way I wanted.

I opened my mouth, ready to talk to Izuru about my true feelings.

Yet again, the words that I heard were not my own.


	14. Resolution

"If you're looking for forgiveness, I forgive you." Izuru's voice echoed through the jail cell.

He continued to stare coldly forward, while I looked at him in surprise. He… forgave me?

"B-but why… I betrayed you… I deceived you..."

"Kyoko, I understand. I understand everything."

"I didn't want to do this… you know I didn't… But I did this for us..."

I felt a small tear flow down from my left eye.

"It was too much for you… You couldn't live the way I wanted you to… Because our perspectives are inherently different... And with this plan of mine... I should have seen it coming."

"I was so worried... I only wanted you to be safe..."

Izuru turned to face me, his face displaying significantly more strain than before, and continued.

"I know... But your actions are misguided... This plan will happen, regardless of whether it's ready or not... It's only worse now that I couldn't finish my preparations..."

I stared at him, unable to comprehend what he was saying.

"What..."

"You wouldn't understand..."

I pleaded with him, leaning in closer.

"You didn't tell me, how was I _supposed_ to understand?"

Izuru gave me another light sigh.

"You were _supposed_ to trust that I wouldn't risk my life over something futile. To trust that I knew what I was doing. Somewhere, deep down inside you, you believed that capturing me was for the best. I don't question your judgment, Kyoko, but I'm not sure I trust what you're doing, either. How can we remain together if we don't trust each other... if we have different goals..."

Izuru looked at the door again, and continued to speak, "Hmpf. It seems Hope and Despair can't mix after all…"

I was stunned, almost unable to respond. I should have trusted him. I should have known he wouldn't just throw his life away... And now... after all this… Izuru was just _giving up_?

No, that couldn't happen! I grabbed his left hand in mine, as I spoke much louder this time.

"Izuru, this is the _only_ way we could be together."

Izuru sharply turned towards me, and scowled. His red eyes lit up the room for a second.

"And how is that? I'm different from all the other Remnants, I'm the Foundation's biggest target. They can do whatever they want with me now. They might even kill me."

I was taken aback by his sudden response, so I wasn't ready to answer him. But someone else was.

"No, that's wrong, Izuru! The Future Foundation doesn't kill people! We're gonna convert you to the side of Hope, once and for all!"

Makoto shouted into the cell, pointing his finger at Izuru.

I mean… It's nice that he helped me, and all… but isn't this _our_ conversation? I gave Makoto a sharp stare to indicate that he was interrupting us.

Fortunately, Izuru did the same exact thing, and after a second, Makoto's arm wavered. He chuckled a bit, and then sheepishly turned back around to give us our privacy.

That at least gave me time to think of a response. I pulled on Izuru's hand, so that he could face me.

"Yes, we won't kill you. You'll be with us. And once we're both on the same side, there will be no more conflict. No more missions, no more any of it. Just me and you."

I could sense Izuru's longing for me in his expression, and my heart melted a little bit more. After staring into each other's eyes, Izuru turned away again.

"Do you think I _want_ to be converted? Do you think I want Hope? I know it'll allow us to be together, but I've barely experienced Hope my entire life... My entire, boring life... How do I know it's right?"

Well, to me, Hope was obviously right. But to someone like him, the answer was more obscure.

"And you think Despair _is_ right?"

"I..."

I could tell Izuru was straining himself, clearly wanting to say something. Yet he was holding back for some reason...

"I followed Junko that day because I believed what she told me... That Despair was right for me..."

"But a lot has changed since then."

Izuru took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, clearly not wanting to talk about this anymore.

"We will see what the Foundation can do. I anticipated that they would try this. Maybe they will convert me... Or maybe my Despair will prevail..."

But… I was sure Makoto would find a way…

Wouldn't he?

Izuru continued to stare into the darkness as he slipped his hand away from mine. I was angered, confused, scared, and sad at seeing Izuru this way. It was the exact opposite of him when I first met him… And I didn't like it. I wanted an Izuru that didn't have to deal with any of this.

I looked up at his smooth, black hair, and I felt the longing too. My heart ached for Izuru Kamukura, and knowing that he was essentially abandoning me made me hurt even more…

"One can always Hope, right?"

Izuru's voice shifted, growing less emotional and more monotone.

"No. _You_ can always Hope, but not me. Hope does not exist to me... "

Izuru took a deep sigh, and continued. I stared at him more intently as he did so.

"And so, because we remain on opposite sides, I'm afraid this is the end."

The sadness inside me suddenly swelled up. If what he said was true… If Makoto couldn't find a way to convert him… then…

Even though I still believed that Makoto would succeed and that we'd be together again, there were always unforeseen circumstances and chances for failure. Listening to Izuru be so pessimistic about the future... it was too heartbreaking to bear. He couldn't give up now… I felt more tears streaming down my face.

"No… It can't be…"

Izuru noticed my words but did not move an inch. His eyes remained fixated on the cell wall, his slow breathing the only sign of life.

My emotions took control of me, and after a couple seconds of unresponsiveness, I took Izuru's arm in mine and leaned on his shoulder.

I was compulsively crying now, yet I somehow managed to choke out a couple words.

"Izuru… Please… Please don't give up… Everything will turn out fine…"

He turned towards me yet again, and looked at my head on his shoulder. My eyes met his in response.

"I'm sorry, Kyoko. You can Hope all you want, but there is no world in which we can both be together like this. If there was, you know we'd be there. You know I'd do that for you. But there's no reason to continue to foster this relationship if there's no possible way it can exist."

I shouldn't let his demeanor get to me… There was no turning back now, and no reason to second guess myself…

I wasn't sure of the future, and Izuru was making me even less sure… But Hope is believing in the future. Believing that somehow, someway, I'll end up in a better place than where I was now.

No matter what.

Just gotta keep on moving forward. Right Makoto?

My eyes grew less watery as I responded to Izuru.

"Well, there is… And I'm following the path to it right now… Because I love you."

Izuru waited for the comment to sink in, and then spoke back, "I love you too."

I didn't wait a second after that. My face rushed up to his, and I kissed him. I felt the ecstasy flow through me once more as I touched his lips. It was a long, passionate kiss, and in my opinion, the best one we've had. Experiencing this one moment of pleasure amid all the tension and skepticism was complete solace. It was perfect. Neither of us wanted it to end, because then we'd be thrust back to the real world.

But eventually, Izuru slowly pulled his lips away from mine, and he looked at me, his red eyes much warmer than before. Seeing his face like this made me want to kiss him again, but he instantly turned his head away from mine and back into the darkness.

"Why… Why are you making this harder than it has to be… Leave me to my Despair and go away…"

"Izuru…"

"Kyoko… There is no Despair as great as losing you."

My heart melted at the comment. It was a mixture of love, longing, and sorrow. My eyes grew wide slowly as I looked at him.

"But… But you don't have to…"

He didn't respond, or move. It was almost as if he turned to stone, his soul frozen inside of him.

I shook his arm a bit, but his face never wavered and he continued to ignore me.

Tears started trickling from my eyes again. I managed to hold most of them back, but there still was the occasional sniffle. I turned my head to face the ground, as Makoto was staring directly at me, noticing that this conversation was basically over.

I then took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. Everything would be fine… There was no reason to cry…

Wiping the tears from my face with my sleeve, I looked at Makoto and nodded.

I slowly got up and started walking out. He opened the door just enough so that I could get out, and once I did, he closed it back up again and locked it.

We walked back to the elevator in silence. Makoto let me enter first, and once he was in as well, he pressed the button to take us back to the main floor.

I was still sniffling a bit from my talk with Izuru, so I didn't try to make conversation with Makoto, even though he was giving me a concerned look.

Makoto then smiled and started speaking

"You know, Izuru was wrong back there."

I slowly turned my head to face his, eyes still reddened from crying.

"H-he was?"

"Yeah. Of course we can convert him. The Hope Restoration Program will work on all the Remnants."

"But Izuru said... that his Despair might win..."

"That's true. But we're not fighting _Izuru_."

I stood there, with a dumbfounded look in my face. I demanded an answer quickly. I needed to know as soon as possible how this 'Hope Restoration Program' worked...

"Please explain."

Makoto gave me a sly look, and then continued.

"Do you remember the origins of Izuru Kamukura?"

"Yes… He was genetically engineered from an average high school student."

"An average high school student who had no idea what Despair was."

"Yes, but he eventually learned about it from Junko. What's your point?"

"What if he didn't?"

I gave Makoto an incredulous look.

"Makoto, now isn't the time for hypotheticals."

"But Kyoko… What if there was a world in which all of the Remnants were never exposed to Despair?"

"There isn't such a world."

I was starting to grow irritated at Makoto's questioning. I just wanted to _know_ already…

"Well, there could be now. _That's_ what the Hope Restoration Program will actually simulate. A world without Despair."

A world without Despair… That sounded exactly like the world that Izuru was describing… the supposedly nonexistent world… My heart jumped a bit in hearing that.

But was it real?

"And _how_ do you propose you do that?"

"We'll use Junko's own tactics against her Remnants. Brainwashing."

It all instantly made sense. Makoto's smile grew larger as my eyes widened in realization, and he continued speaking.

"We're not going to have to convince Izuru Kamukura to give up Despair. We're going to convince his old self, before he even underwent those experiments, to live without it."

"I see…"

I nodded my head in agreement. This plan of his… this actually could work… Having the Remnants forget about Despair so they could be brought up in the ways of Hope…

Yeah, there's no _way_ Izuru could continue to follow Despair after he was forced to forget all of that.

Wait… The color drained from my face as the harsh truth came crashing down on me.

"But… But to convert him to our side… He'll have to forget our time together… And our relationship..."

"Yes. I'm sorry, Kyoko, but it's the only way."

Makoto put his hand on my shoulder to console me, but it didn't help much, honestly.

I stood there in disbelief. Sadness and defeat engulfed me, similar to the way Izuru felt after I caught him. My eyes stood still, staring at the wall.

The elevator opened up on the main floor, and the two of us walked out. Makoto looked at me again and started speaking.

"So all we have to do is wait for all the…"

He trailed off after a second, realizing what he was saying.

"All the Remnants. We've captured all the Remnants. We can finally start the Hope Restoration Program! Let me get it ready!"

Makoto started running down the hall in a hurry. I tried to catch up to him, but I was so sluggish from my mental state that I soon lost him. I decided that he didn't need me for anything at this point, as he was the only one who knew how this Program worked.

I stood there in the middle of the hallway thinking about what Makoto told me in the elevator.

I've come all this way… And Izuru will just forget everything…This wasn't what I wanted…

To be honest, _I_ didn't even know what I wanted anymore… This has been _way_ too complicated for even me to bear.

I'd remember everything… and he'd know nothing. And we'd have a relationship like that? I don't think that's possible.

Love grows over time. If he didn't know about the time we spent together… I'd be loving him without him knowing why. That's not what I wanted...

Argh! Was there _any_ way that this could work out?

Hmm… Now that I thought of it… there _still_ could be a way…

* * *

 _I stood on my toes, extended my face, closed my eyes, and kissed Izuru. Honestly, he seemed to be expecting it, based on the way he reacted. It felt even better than the first time, and I indulged myself in his lips._

 _He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me towards him. And, I did the same. A sudden warmth took over my body. We embraced each other for a good minute, and then Izuru started to-_

"Kyoko!"

Kyoko Kirigiri heard Makoto's voice from down the hall, along with quick, hard footsteps. Sighing, she put down her pen and walked over to the door.

"Kyoko… It's the Remnants… There's something wrong."

"What is it?"

"Somehow, Monokuma found his way into the Hope Restoration Program. And the Remnants are killing each other! Just like… just like we did…"

Makoto cringed a bit at that last part. His face showed signs of nervousness.

Kyoko displayed a pensive look, and her eyes lit up after a couple seconds, "The USB… So _that_ was his plan... Which 'friend' was it for, though... "

"What?"

Kyoko didn't wait a second, "There's no time to lose. We have to go fix things ourselves."

"Y-yeah, let's go."

She started walking quickly ahead of Makoto, muttering to herself.

"Izuru…"

"You know, we're doing this for _all_ the Remnants…"

Kyoko gave Makoto a slight glare, which made him tremble a bit. After a second, she winked and continued swiftly down the hall.

"Kyoko! You know where you're going, right?"

"Yes. To the port, to catch a ferry to Jabberwock Island, so we can enter the Hope Restoration Program ourselves and stop this from the inside."

"E-enter?"

"I _have_ to save him..."

Kyoko's eyes glistened a bit once she turned around to look at Makoto. He grinned and put his hand on her shoulder.

" _We_ have to save all of them."

Kyoko nodded quickly, and then they both headed to the library, where they saw Byakuya Togami reading a book from a large stack on the table next to him.

"Byakuya." Kyoko said loudly.

" _What_ is it?" Byakuya growled and slammed his book on the table.

"The Hope Restoration Program isn't going as planned. We need you to help us fix it."

"Why do you need _my_ help?"

"Byakuya, please."

Byauyka sighed lightly, scowling a bit.

"Forcing me to give up reading a perfectly good book for someone else's mistake..."

He then reluctantly got out of his seat to join her and Makoto. Not long after, the three of them made their way to the port and used their Future Foundation status to immediately get on a private ferry to Jabberwock Island.

* * *

 _Love grows over time. If he didn't know about the time we spent together… I'd be loving him without him knowing why. That's not what I wanted…_

 _Argh! Was there any way that this could work out?_

 _Hmm… Now that I thought of it… there still could be a way…_

Kyoko silently put down her pen and took a deep breath. She was sitting inside the ferry, on the lower deck. Next to her was a window, from which she could see the glistening blue sea and the seagulls flying overhead.

In front of her was a desk, which held a notebook with many, many pages filled, top to bottom. The pen she used to write all this was almost out of ink.

Yet, she picked the pen back up again and turned the book to the first page, intentionally left blank. A pensive look appeared on her face, and she hit her face with the back of the pen several times before finally touching the ink to the paper.

 _Before you ask any questions, I want you to understand why. Why I'm doing this. Why you're standing here reading this book._

 _It's because I love you. It's because I need to be with you. Because there is no one else in the world that makes me feel the way you do._

 _Now, this may all seem confusing to you. You've never had a relationship with anyone for long enough to make them feel this way about you, right?_

 _Well, that isn't the truth. The Hope Restoration Program just washed away a good amount of your life from your memory. Which includes this past week, in which you and I have been spending a lot of time together._

 _And, as I'm sure you've learned, you were a Remnant of Despair. Your views contradicted with mine, and in an effort to save us, I captured you for the Future Foundation so the Program could convert you to the side of Hope._

 _But I realized too late the unfortunate side effect of this Program. Everything I did to save our relationship was almost erased. How could you understand my feelings if you forgot what you did that caused them?_

 _Yet, I didn't give up hope. I discovered that if you wouldn't remember on your own, I would remember for you. Written in this book is an entire account of our time spent together, from that fateful day when we met to the day when I captured you. Yes, it was a toil. But it was all for you._

 _I would give anything to have you remember this past week. I would give anything just to be in your arms again, without having to worry about Hope or Despair or anyone else._

 _But, sometimes life just isn't what we anticipate it to be. Love hits when you least expect it, and it leaves you breathless, not knowing what to do next._

 _But what life does do is give everyone second chances, if you try hard enough. I got my second chance at capturing you, and I didn't fail. Now, life is giving me a second chance at love._

 _You're getting a second chance at love as well. But you're also getting a second chance at life. A life without Despair. A life that you can build up yourself._

 _Because of this, I won't hound you to read this book. I wrote it because it would be too overwhelming to find all this out at once if I told you this in person. You need to come to terms with who you really were before we can begin again together._

 _Once you understand your old self, I'll be with the Future Foundation. My job there isn't done just yet._

 _But I'll have you know as soon as you're ready, we can go away together and leave everything else behind. It doesn't matter where we go; as long as I'm with you, I know we'll be fine._

 _This past week has been very emotional for me. But thinking of you and our bright future fills me with hope and longing. I wish very much to start that future now, but I understand that these things take time._

 _So I'll be waiting..._

 _-Kyoko Kirigiri_

Just as she removed the pen from the paper, the ferry pulled into the port on Jabberwock Island. Grabbing her notebook under her arm, she swiftly walked back onto the deck and off the ferry.

A cool breeze blew Kyoko's hair around as her, Makoto, and Byakuya walked to where the Hope Restoration Program was located.

The Program was a large blue machine, with containment pods that held the Remnants in an induced sleep. After Makoto began fiddling with the controls, Kyoko wandered over to the pod that contained Izuru. His face looked unnaturally calm.

Makoto pressed one last button and then quickly opened three empty pods.

"Well, you guys ready? Get in."

Kyoko nodded, seeing a determined look on Makoto's face. "Yes."

"Hmpf. Hopefully they give us more of a challenge this time…"

Byakuya turned away from them and entered one of the pods. After a second, Makoto did the same.

Kyoko took a deep breath, and with one last glance at Izuru, she laid in the last empty pod and closed the cover over her.

* * *

Kyoko heard a hissing sound as the pod opened up. She blinked her eyes a couple times, and then stretched a bit.

She turned to Makoto, who was doing the same. He smiled as her, as they managed to save five of the Remnants.

One of which was Izuru Kamukura.

But that wasn't his name anymore.

Kyoko nodded at Makoto quietly, and then got out of the pod. She took out the notebook that she still had with her, and wrote something on the cover in large letters.

 _Hajime_

Before the three of them left the area, she dropped the notebook on the floor next to the exit. She turned back to the machine and gave a sly grin.

She stood on the beach for a couple minutes afterwards, watching the sun set in the distance, the salt spraying in her face from the wind. The sky was reddish orange, with purple highlights.

"Kyoko! We gotta go!"

Kyoko jumped slightly, tearing her eyes off the sunset and towards Makoto's voice. He was already on the ferry, waving at her to get on.

She nodded yet again, and walked through the sparkling sand and onto the docks to board the ferry.

As we left, she stared at the location where they left the Remnants, ready to begin a new life. She managed to catch a glimpse of someone climb onto a rock and stand there. He was watching them as well. It was him.

 _There is no hope is as great as saving you. I love you, Hajime Hinata._

 **Author's Note:**

 **Phew, finally done… It took me long enough, haha. My original goal for this fanfiction was 10,000 words, and my super stretch goal was 20,000. Who knew that I'd hit 35,000? But I'm sure you're not complaining, because you got to read all this (to the end, too).**

 **And I thank you for that. I've really had a great time working on this fanfiction, and it makes me happy that people appreciate it.**

 **I've really grown as an author in writing this piece, and it's allowed me to search inside myself while writing. This has become my favorite OTP and honestly, I don't think I would ever see it any other way.**

 **The sequel to this piece is out! It's called 'Beyond Hope And Despair', and it focuses on Izuru. It's better than this one, and longer, too. Check it out!**

 **Thanks for reading, and I really Hope you liked it.**


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